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/551867
www.beveragedynamics.com May/June 2015 • Beverage Dynamics 35 { CROWN ROYAL } DIAGEO 18 Growth Brand Awards • 2014 Sales: 4.28m 9-liter cases 2015 GROWTH BRAND AWARDS – HALL OF FAME O pened in 1934, Chateau Ste. Michelle is the founding winery of Washington state and owns 3,500 acres of vineyards in the Columbia Valley. The Ste. Michelle Wine Estates brand was named a Comeback Brand for 2015, in addition to being the only wine inducted into this year's Hall of Fame class. The winery has been producing European vari- etals under the Ste. Michelle label since 1967 and is overseen today by Head Winemaker Bob Bertheau. Its vineyards include Canoe Ridge Estate and Cold Creek, which are LIVE and Salmon Safe certifi ed. "Chateau Ste. Michelle is dedicated to crafting wines that are true to the varietal, expressive of their region and deliver outstanding quality and value to the con- sumer," says Communications Director Lynda Eller. The brand targets two types of consumers, ac- cording to VP and Brand Director Jan Barnes. One is the "approachable aspirer," who enjoys every day wine experiences based on quality and value. The other is a more sophisticated wine lover, who skews toward red wines, loves to share wine knowledge and entertains at home. Because of its large volume, Chateau Ste. Michelle has two winery facilities. Canoe Ridge Estate is dedi- cated to red wine, using state-of-the-art winemaking technology, including a research winery to improve quality. The brand's facility in Woodinville, near Seat- tle, is dedicated to white wine. "Woodinville also has the beautiful chateau and grounds that welcome over 300,000 visitors per year," Barnes adds. The biggest trend in wine that Chateau Ste. Mi- chelle is reacting to is a move toward premiumization. "We're well-positioned to meet that need with vari- ous tiers and popular varietals, which deliver quality and value at every price point," Barnes says. In the future, the brand "will continue the same dedication to quality and keep a close focus on consumers and their evolving needs." { CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE } STE. MICHELLE WINE ESTATES 15 Growth Brand Awards • 2014 Sales: 3.04m 9-liter cases F irst introduced in 1939 and available in the U.S. since 1964, Crown Royal is the category leader in Canadian Whisky. The brand began in Canada during a visit by British monarchs King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. To mark the occasion, the brand's founder tested more than 600 blends before creating what they considered to be the best whisky. It was packaged in a glass bottle, wrapped in a purple cloth bag and presented to the King and Queen. By 1941, the brand had caught on with the Canadian people and its original production of 100 cases was expanded to wider distribution. More than 50 million bottles of Crown Royal are sold glob- ally each year. "We're proud to uphold the same tradition of producing the fi nest quality whisky, just like the fi rst 100 cases back in 1939," says Diageo VP North American Whisky, Yvonne Briese. "Crown Royal's uncompromising standards of quality are what set it apart from other whiskies on the market." Today, the brand is available in seven expressions, packaged in seven different colored bags, including green for the most re- cent addition, Regal Apple. "The growth of and interest in the Canadian Whisky category is fueled by a consumer mindset that whiskey is more approachable than in years past," Briese says. "We love this! With the resurgence of classic cocktails like the Manhattan and Old Fashioned, as well as new fl avored whiskies, consumers have a lot more options and reasons to responsibly enjoy whisky." Crown Royal plans to keep introducing new products in the coming years, including increased distribution of the Hand Selected Barrel program, which allows retailers to purchase straight-from-the-barrel whisky featuring the Coffey Rye at the heart of the Crown Royal Deluxe blend. "There is great growth potential among our family of products to continue to propel forward our stake in the category," Briese says.