Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/51989
FYI Miller Coors Director of Sales & Distributor Communications Mike Hennick. From Diageo-Guinness USA: Ty Gilmore, Vice President of Sales West, and Kevin Furphy, Sales Director, California. Megan Van Dyke of Encore Planning, and Jeannie Garavaglia, Manager of Meetings and Events, for Miller-Coors. A major Federal study released today reported that underage drinking rates among 8th, 10th and 12th graders are at their lowest levels since the study's incep- tion in 1975, according to the Distilled Spirits Council. According to the 2011 Monitoring the Future Survey, jointly released by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the University of Michigan, the proportion of students reporting binge drinking at least once in the two weeks prior to the survey also fell in all three grades in 2011. "This is excellent news but much more needs to be done, and we must not become complacent as a society. Parents, industry and the entire community working together can continue to make a difference," said Dr. Peter Cressy, President of the Distilled Spirits Council and a former college president. Cressy noted that the spirits industry has been a part of this progress through the programs of The Century Council and other educa- tional initiatives, which provide parents with tools to talk to their children about alcohol….Excelsior Wine Company, the recently formed sales and marketing joint venture between wine importer Banfi Vintners and Chile's wine producer Concha y Toro, has become the official representative of Little Black Dress and Five Rivers wines of California. Transfer of the brands from former owner and representative Brown Forman took effect this past November. The two wine lines each include a Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay, sourced from different winegrowing areas in California; in addition, Little Black Dress offers a Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Moscato…. Wilson Daniels Ltd. has been named exclusive U.S. importer for Laroche, a wine producer with properties in Chablis, Languedoc, Chile and South Africa…. Castle Brands Inc. and Distillerie Franciacorta announced that they have entered into an exclusive distribution agreement in the U.S. for Franciacorta's Gozio Amaretto…Russian Standard Corporation, producer of Russian Standard vodkas, has acquired a 70% stake in Gancia SPA, the Italian wine-making company established in 1850 and known for its sparkling wines…. Constellation Brands, Inc., whose wine brands include Robert Mondavi Winery, Kim Crawford, Clos du Bois and Ravenswood, has launched a mobile marketing campaign to provide wine recommendations based on individual store inventory. Partnering with Hello Vino Inc. and utilizing the location- based services within their mobile apps, Constellation Brands will use the program to reach consumers at point- of-sale through their smartphones (both iPhone and Android). Other elements of the initiative include push notifications and the promotion of brands within the Hello Vino mobile apps to engage shoppers while making their purchase decisions. The free apps can recommend specific wine brands to consumers based on meal selections, specific occasions and taste preferences. Hello Vino is currently the most downloaded among the hundreds of wine-related mobile apps, the company says… The Jack Daniel Distillery donated $101,000 to the Armed Services YMCA of Fort Campbell to help soldiers and their families reunite all across the country for the recent holiday season. Through "Operation Ride Home," the distillery and ASYMCA hoped to potentially help hundreds of enlisted soldiers and their families off- set costly holiday travel expenses through plane tickets and pre-paid debit cards for gas, lodging and food. In addition to the distillery's donation, Jack Daniel's asked friends to contribute what they can to the effort. Beverage Dynamics • www.beveragedynamics.com • January/February 2012 • 7