It’s not a fun time to work in the alcohol business. Demand is down in almost every segment and in almost every geography. Costs are rising. And most every category is in some state of oversupply. How on earth did we get here? Erica Duecy and Scott Rosenbaum, hosts of the Business of Drinks podcast, join the RaboResearch team to debate what is driving the recent declines in the alcohol industry using our favorite debate format: a draft! Want to sign up for our written research? Have a question, ...
Jun 18, 2025•1 hr 8 min
Young people are drinking less, but virtually all those declines are driven by men. If they do consume alcohol, men drink twice as much as women. In this episode, we speculate on what could be changing in the culture and in the lives of young men that is pushing them away from alcohol. Link to our report on Gen Z drinking habits: Click here . Want to sign up for our written research? Have a question, qualm or story to tell, reach out via email: [email protected] Check out the rest of o...
May 30, 2025•57 min
Economics power duo Jane Foley and Christian Lawrence return to give context to the first 100 days of the Trump administration, its impact on global economics, and the long-term impact of the US' changing relationship with the rest of the world. Have a question, qualm, or story to tell, reach out via email: [email protected] Sign up to access our written research: RaboResearch sign-up Note: The content and opinions presented within this podcast are not intended as investment advice, an...
May 12, 2025•56 min
In 2024, wine production far outstripped demand. Glenn Proctor of Ciatti and Jeff Bitter of Allied Grape Growers help us understand the unique challenges of the current crisis and how it is shaping the future of the wine business in the US and beyond. Contact us via email: [email protected] Sign up for our research via this link: Knowledge.Rabobank.com You can find the Ciatti newsletter here: Ciatti Company | Substack Note: The content and opinions presented within this podcast are not...
Apr 24, 2025•49 min
The RaboResearch team discusses the implications of Brown-Forman and Tito's Handmade Vodka moving to a beer distributor in California. Do wine and spirits wholesalers need to change, or will change erode their competitive advantage? Will the beer guys buy wine and spirits distributors, or is the wine and spirits opportunity too limited? For brands, what is the appeal of working with a beer wholesaler, and what are the risks and limitations? Contact us via email: [email protected] Sign ...
Apr 07, 2025•40 min
In this episode, we review the latest earnings results from the spirits industry (Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Brown-Forman, Campari, Rémy Cointreau, Becle, and MGP Ingredients). Alongside individual company results, we discuss the impacts of declining sales in the US, the surprising health of the European market, the challenges created by aging inventory and wholesaler inventory, an evolution in pack and pricing strategy, the severe impact of a retaliatory Chinese anti-dumping investigation into cogn...
Mar 19, 2025•57 min
As the first quarter comes to a close, we look back at the results from the largest global beer companies (Heineken, Carlsberg, AB InBev, Molson Coors, Constellation Brands, Royal Unibrew) and what they tell us about the health of the beer industry in the US, Europe, and the rest of the world. Later in the episode, we breakdown the potential impact of Trump administration tariffs for companies across the beverage alcohol industry. Contact us via email: [email protected] Sign up for our...
Mar 12, 2025•50 min
For distributors, managing and verifying execution and incentive programs is a complicated task. For brands, it can feel impossible. In this episode, we speak to Cory Knopp from GoSpotCheck by FORM to discuss how distributors, brands, and retailers are using their photo-based technology to bring data and transparency to one of the most hard-to-measure and burdensome parts of the business. This is the final of four episodes recorded on-site at Access LIVE, the annual conference hosted by Wine &am...
Mar 04, 2025•40 min
Jenda is a US-based tech company that uses retailer website data to offer real-time updates on out-of-stocks, competitive set, and pricing at an outlet level. Jenda’s Amanda Wolff and Harry Shulman share how they are helping brands and distributors solve some of the industry’s most persistent and frustrating problems. This is the third of four episodes recorded on-site at Access LIVE, the annual conference hosted by Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America. Contact us via email: bourcard.nesin@...
Feb 27, 2025•28 min
Craig Letton and his company, Hyble, spent a decade refining the art of creating menus and point-of-sale materials across Europe. As his business expands across the US, Craig shares how Hyble is modernizing the production and design of point-of-sale materials and explains why so many of the strategies and technologies being adopted in the US have been standard practice among European brands and wholesalers for years. This is one of four episodes recorded onsite at Access LIVE, the annual confere...
Feb 24, 2025•37 min
We caught up with Francis Creighton, President and CEO of WSWA, to get their take on Trump tariffs, how the industry should react to the growing pressure from public health organizations, and a range of other topics including taxes, cannabis, and a fun little anecdote involving Breaking Bad actor, Bryan Cranston. This is the first of four episodes recorded on-site at Access LIVE, the annual conference hosted by Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America. Contact us via email: bourcard.nesin@rabob...
Feb 19, 2025•30 min
Over the last 25 years, distribution contracts in the US have shifted from handshake agreements to carefully negotiated legal documents. What do these contracts contain? As a brand, what is negotiable, what can you leverage to get a better deal, and what aspects of your business should never be compromised? Ed LeMay and Dale Stratton of Azur Associates join us to help answer these questions, sharing insights from decades of experience pioneering distribution strategy and sitting across the negot...
Jan 27, 2025•1 hr 32 min
Economics power duo Jane Foley and Christian Lawrence return to discuss the outlook for economic growth and the potential impact of tariffs and the Trump presidency in 2025. Have a question, qualm, or story to tell? Reach out via email: [email protected] Sign up to access our written research: RaboResearch sign-up Note: The content and opinions presented within this podcast are not intended as investment advice, and the opinions rendered are that of the individuals and not Rabobank or ...
Jan 15, 2025•52 min
In a show packed with passion, Kate Bernot and Bryan Roth of Sightlines and hosts of The Gist by Sightlines podcast help us identify the year’s most important stories from the world of beer. Things then turn competitive as we go head-to-head in our third annual Quiz of the Year. Will our guests remember how much alcohol a hamster can drink or how many nonalcoholic beer consumers play video games? You’ll have to tune in to find out. Happy holidays and thank you for tuning in to another year of th...
Dec 20, 2024•1 hr 13 min
They sold skateboards colored with paint containing Tony Hawk’s actual blood. They bought a Superbowl ad and hired a witch to attend and influence the outcome of the game. They auctioned off a seven-foot, casket-shaped Yeti cooler that sold for USD 68,000. However you might feel about these stunts, the folks at Liquid Death know how to get attention. On this episode, the company’s CFO Karim Sadik-Khan and Chief Strategy Officer Marisa Bertha talk about the processes behind the brand’s success, t...
Dec 03, 2024•51 min
In this episode, the research team gets to the bottom of the biggest mystery confounding brands, investors, retailers, and distributors in 2024: Is the recent drop in US alcohol sales a short-term blip or the start of a more long-lived, structural decline? Sign up for our research via this link: Knowledge.Rabobank.com. Note: The content and opinions presented within this podcast are not intended as investment advice, and the opinions rendered are that of the individuals and not Rabobank or its a...
Nov 19, 2024•1 hr
Consolidation has transformed the world of wine and spirits distribution in the US. While everyone knows that consolidation happened, far fewer people understand the trends that pushed a few US wholesalers to achieve scale. Dave Lane and Tracy Aldworth, senior leaders from Republic National Distributing Company, discuss the drivers behind the structural changes to the middle tier and how their company is responding to remain competitive far into the future. Link to the latest RaboResearch distri...
Oct 24, 2024•1 hr 8 min
KK Hall, Global Brand Vice President for Maker’s Mark, and Charles Gibb, Fever-Tree’s North America CEO, joined forces to create a blood orange ginger beer formulated especially to pair with Maker's Mark. So far, it seems like the project has exceeded expectations, bringing bourbon into new consumption occasions that appeal to broader audiences and helping both brands grab the attention of retailers and distributors alike. Rabobank clients can sign up for our research via this link: knowledge.ra...
Sep 30, 2024•33 min
Josh Cellars is arguably the most successful wine brand of this generation, and Deutsch did much of that work while the overall industry was struggling. How did they do it? The company’s President, Tom Steffanci, and Chief Brand Officer, Dan Kleinman, discuss their unique approach to brand building, distribution, the positioning of the wine category, and the meticulous measurements they use to maximize the return on their marketing spending. Rabobank clients can sign up for our research via this...
Sep 10, 2024•1 hr 11 min
Adapted from a live webinar hosted by Rabobank in July, this unique episode brings together experts from The Wine Group, Jackson Family Wines, and Crimson Wine Group, who joined forces to share best practices on lightweighting or “right-weighting” glass packaging. The panel includes: Tony Maan, Vice President of Supplier Development at The Wine Group Colleen Fitzgerald, chenin blanc viognier winemaker and Chair of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measurement Committee at Crimson Wine Group Mitch Dav...
Aug 20, 2024•45 min
Charles Gibb, CEO of Fever-Tree North America, offers an update on the mixers market, exploring how this fast-growing segment intersects with consumer trends, retailer objectives, and distribution. And, of course, we discuss the strategy that propelled a premium mixer brand into a billion-dollar company. Rabobank clients can sign up for our research via this link: Knowledge.Rabobank.com Note: The content and opinions presented within this podcast are not intended as investment advice, and the op...
Jul 31, 2024•52 min
With help from industry icons Harry Schuhmacher and Sarah Barrett, the folks responsible for publications like Beer Business Daily and Wine & Spirits Business Daily , we use a fitting format, a draft, to debate the toughest and the most helpful trends and topics facing beer distributors in 2024. Rabobank clients can sign up for our research via this link: knowledge.rabobank.com Note: The content and opinions presented within this podcast are not intended as investment advice, and the opinion...
Jul 10, 2024•1 hr 8 min
Rabobank’s senior market strategist, Christian Lawrence, returns for his record-setting tenth appearance on the podcast to discuss major economic trends like inflation, labor markets, consumer spending, credit card debt, and the potential impact of elections and geopolitics around the globe. Rabobank clients can sign up for our research via this link: Research.Rabobank.com Note: The content and opinions presented within this podcast are not intended as investment advice, and the opinions rendere...
Jun 19, 2024•48 min
The global orange juice industry is in crisis. The Florida industry has all but disappeared, and Brazilian groves are plagued by disease, rising costs, and unfavorable growing conditions, leaving global orange juice supplies at their lowest point in decades. Prices are skyrocketing, consumer demand has been falling for years, and operators across the value chain are left wondering what’s next. Listen in as Rabobank’s citrus expert, Andrés Padilla, shares the takeaways from his latest report on t...
May 17, 2024•44 min
SipSource analysts Dale Stratton and Danny Brager are two of the most influential and respected experts in the US wine and spirits industry. In an expansive discussion, Danny and Dale help us dissect the drivers behind falling wine and spirits sales and whether things will get worse before they get better. Note: The content and opinions presented within this podcast are not intended as investment advice, and the opinions rendered are that of the individuals and not Rabobank or its affiliates and...
Apr 30, 2024•47 min
In a recent and much anticipated report, Senior Analyst Francois Sonneville modeled the spot market and actual prices paid among public beer companies in North America, Europe, and China. We discuss his findings and his ideas on how brewers can better control production costs and where future cost pressure may come from. Be sure to download Francois’ report: Beer COGS dashboard Q4 2023 Clients can sign up for research here: Research.Rabobank.com Note: The content and opinions presented within th...
Apr 16, 2024•37 min
At this year’s Access LIVE conference in Las Vegas, we sat down with Breakthru Beverage Group’s Head of Digital and E-commerce Mike Boswell for an impromptu conversation on alcohol marketplaces. We explore the relevance and value of marketplaces at different levels of the value chain, discussing Drizly on the consumer-facing side and Provi for a business-to-business perspective. For more on this topic, be sure to read our latest report: Why Drizly never delivered . Note: The content and opinions...
Mar 28, 2024•47 min
Is neo-prohibitionism a threat to the alcohol business? Will GLP-1 agonists decrease alcohol sales? Are soft drinks companies losing interest in their effort to develop alcohol brands? To debate these and other controversial topics, the RaboResearch Beverage team plays one of our favorite games: Buy, Sell, Hold! Note: The content and opinions presented within this podcast are not intended as investment advice, and the opinions rendered are that of the individuals and not Rabobank or its affiliat...
Mar 07, 2024•53 min
As the largest wine and spirits distributor in North America, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits has a unique perspective on the US alcohol market. Senior leaders David Chaplin (Chief Growth Officer), John Wittig (Chief Commercial Officer), and Alan Wizeman (Chief Digital Officer) share their views on the health of the US alcohol market, consumer trends, distributor inventories, and the fast evolving world of business-to-business e-commerce. Note: The content and opinions presented within this...
Feb 02, 2024•1 hr 12 min
Economic power duo Jane Foley and Christian Lawrence return to discuss the outlook for a recession, interest rates, inflation, and consumer spending and how these economic trends could impact food and beverage companies as we enter the new year. Rabobank clients can sign up for our research via this link: research.rabobank.com. Note: The content and opinions presented within this podcast are not intended as investment advice, and the opinions rendered are that of the individuals and not Rabobank...
Jan 09, 2024•43 min
