StateWays is the only magazine exclusively covering the control state system within the beverage alcohol industry, with annual updates from liquor control commissions and alcohol control boards and yearly fiscal reporting from control jurisdictions
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NAB NABCA efforts via digital technology to grow even closer to consumers. As we head into our 75th NABCA Annual Conference in Marco Island, the external forces of change are hard at work and evident across the Control States landscape. In fact, candles from previous years seem to have come a little easier than this last one. One headline that few saw as initially possible was, of course, Washington's move to completely privatize. In all of the Control States, whether you are a supplier, state employee, broker or retailer, the passage of this legislation gave reason for pause. In the end, the voters of Washington were consumers who desired a change. Why they voted for it, what they thought they were getting, what will happen to prices, how much prod- uct selection they will have…are all chapters for another book. The old adage that, "The only thing constant in life is change," suddenly seems relevant to us (again!). So, go ahead and blow out those candles! Not only do they represent years gone by, but they also embody the innovation and change that was necessary for us to prosper through yesterday. I once had a professor in grad school explain that the reason people dislike or avoid change is that it creates incompetence. No one is proficient at something that is foreign to them. This is exactly why we all have to push innovation in our own operations — even when it may not seem comfortable at first. ARMSTRONG President, GREG Spirits, Control Diageo NA states held the first conference for the newly-established National Alcohol Beverage Control Association, coming together to seek common solutions to the control state issues of the day. This year marks the 75th Anniversary of the NABCA Annual Conference, during which the industry will continue to explore similar issues – changed for the times of course, but with the same intent. The past three-quarters of a century have seen incredible progress for control states – increased sales, improved collabora- tion and renewed emphasis on modernization, always with a focus on the responsible use of alcohol. So what will the next 75 years bring? Consumer Choice Seventy-five years ago, the industry looked vastly different. Competition, innovation, technology and many other factors have all contributed to a rapidly changing marketplace. The number of products and brands are exploding, causing shelf space to shrink. The one constant over the past 75 years is that consumers ultimately determine the direction of our business. For instance, are suppliers producing innovative products at the right price and are control states making the shop- ping experience convenient for their customers? Answers to questions like these are critical in defining our future success. Many states have been busy adapting modernization agendas to better deliver on consumer demand. Sunday sales, longer store hours, shelf-set management and increased access are just some examples of recent improvements to state business operations. Gone are behind the counter sales, books to record personal pur- chases and dingy, hard to locate stores. Simply put, the control model of 2012 is not your grandfather's model of 75 years ago. Business Relations S 46 eventy-five years ago, Franklin D. Roosevelt was president of the United States, the country was in the throes of the Great Depression and the 21st Amendment had been ratified just a few years earlier, bringing to a close America's great experiment, known as Prohibition. In the same year, representatives of the 18 control Thanks in part to the joint efforts of the NABCA Board of Directors, control states have continued to strive for improved operations throughout the last 75 years. All parties are beginning to truly understand that, more often than not, control states and their industry partners are mutually aligned, resulting in real progress. To build on this momentum throughout the next 75 years, it will be important to continue to develop strong relationships with suppliers, brokers, regulators and other key stake- holders to ensure that the system works for the industry as a whole and ultimately, for the consumer. Diageo dedicates considerable resources to support control states – collectively and with individual states. We look forward to working with states and administrators over the next 75 years to continue to improve key areas of StateWays s www.stateways.com s May/June 2012