At Press Time

Drinks company Sazerac has announced plans to acquire Southern Champion’s ready-to-drink portfolio, including BuzzBallz, the spherical wine-, spirit- and malt-based cocktail brand. Along with BuzzBallz, Sazerac will acquire other Southern Champion brands, including Biggies, Uptown Cocktails, Sip Sip Hooray, and Texas Craft, among others. BuzzBallz was started in 2009 when... Read More

Workplace sexual harassment and violence against females have long been major issues within the beverage alcohol industry (as with many other industries). A brand new initiative is hoping to provide support and prevention tools along with training and a confidential hotline. Women of the Vine & Spirits (WOTVS), the only... Read More

American whiskey is certainly having its moment with consumers in the EU and beyond. According to Discus, the category accounted for 63% of US spirits exports in 2023. That share was equivalent to $1.4 billion, an increase of 9% compared with the year before. American whiskey as a category includes... Read More

After a hiatus of a few years, John Paul DeJoria is back in the spirits game and part of a new venture called Round 2 Spirits. DeJoria, the founder of Patrón Tequila will be joined by a crew of former colleagues including Ed Brown, who was CEO of Patrón Spirits for... Read More

Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey has launched its second annual HBCU Old Fashioned Challenge, a nationwide initiative to raise funds for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This year’s challenge will see the company work to raise $1.4 million, amounting to one full in-state tuition scholarship per accredited HBCU. The Uncle Nearest Old Fashioned Challenge launched on Martin... Read More

The Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS) has announced a new partnership with The Tasting Alliance, a leader in global spirits and wine competitions, that will open the door to the world of spirits competitions and benefits DISCUS members. Through this collaboration, DISCUS members will receive a 10% discount... Read More

Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) has announced that Bert “Tito” Beveridge, Founder of Tito’s Handmade Vodka will receive the 2024 Ray Herrmann H.E.R.O. Award at Access LIVE in Vegas January 29-February 1. Tito was chosen by the selection committee for the qualities that make him a H.E.R.O. (Humanitarian,... Read More

It’s the end of an era for Beam Suntory. The drinks company will exit the Cognac category with the sale of Courvoisier to Campari Group for $1.2 billion. Campari said the agreement is the largest in the group’s history and would include full ownership of the brand and its operations... Read More

Irish whiskey makers have plenty to raise a glass to these days. The category continues to experience steady growth globally, thanks to new international markets, a heightened focus on luxury, and the category’s ability to innovate. In 2022, the value of Irish whiskey exports surpassed $1.07 billion for the first... Read More

Martignetti Companies has completed the acquisition of Quality Beverage, L.P. Quality Beverage is a distributor of beer and alternative beverages in Massachusetts, representing the Anheuser-Busch portfolio in addition to a variety of other domestic and imported brands including Yuengling, Wormtown, Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, Harpoon, Liquid Death and Beatbox.  Previously... Read More