A Test Case For What December’s Federal Hemp Ban May Look Like
Hemp regulations in Illinois and Missouri give consumers and industry members an early glimpse at what's in store as the Dec. 11 ban looms.
Zoe Licata
Senior Reporter, Brewbound.com
Zoe Licata joined Brewbound in 2021 after several years of freelance reporting and documentary work. She’s a Massachusetts native, guinea pig for bev-alc innovation and savant in Gen Z culture.
Posts by Zoe Licata
Hemp Beverage Alliance ‘Optimistic’ Pre-Ban Federal Solution Emerges, But ‘Miniature Prohibition’ Possible
Hemp Beverage Alliance (HBA) president and CEO Christopher Lackner is “optimistic that the hemp beverage category will prevail as a federally regulated category,” he said at the NBWA conference this week.
Why Constellation Is Betting on SpikedAde to ‘Flex Its Muscle’
Constellation’s pickup of the vodka + ade brand was partially motivated by the beer company’s distribution partners, Constellation president and CEO Nicholas Fink shared Wednesday morning during a call with investors and analysts.
Surfside, Sun Cruiser Drive Prepared Cocktail Gains In Latest NIQ Scans
Prepared cocktails recorded another strong performance in NIQ’s weekly off-premise scans report, as the rest of the industry continues to tackle year-over-year (YoY) declines.
Finnish Long Drink Cuts Sales Roles After Mark Anthony Acquisition
Several members of The Finnish Long Drink’s sales force have announced the elimination of their roles in the wake of the ready-to-drink cocktail’s (RTD) acquisition by Mark Anthony Brands earlier this year.
Gallup: Total Alcohol Drinkers Unchanged from 2025; Adult Non-Alc Trial Picks Up
Gallup’s highly anticipated report on consumers’ drinking habits was released Thursday, and like most years, the survey results’ underlying trends depend on which angle you’re cutting the data.
RNDC Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after nearly selling off all its territories.
Another Round for Adult Soda
Like all consumer trends, the circle came back around and consumers started craving flavor again and before we knew it, hard soda was back. Producers are hoping this time the trend is stickier (but maybe less syrupy).
Prepared Cocktails Regain Traction to Start June, per NIQ Weekly Scans
Bev-alc declines persisted through the first week of June as the industry falls into a consistent pattern ahead of this summer’s major events, according to the latest weekly report from market research firm NIQ.
NIQ: Hard Tea RTDs Gain On-Premise Share as Spirits & RTDs Lead Growth
On-premise bev-alc trends have been steady this year, trending between flat and up 1% over the last few months, but categories have experienced their own twists and turns, according to a new report from market research firm NIQ.
Hemp Update: Kentucky, S. Carolina Shift to Alcohol Retail
States are taking various approaches to regulating intoxicating hemp as the November deadline to potentially ban the category draws closer.
Boston Beer To Focus on Teas and RTDs in 2026
Boston Beer’s vodka-based hard tea brand Sun Cruiser “firmly established itself” in 2025, its first year with national distribution after a test launch in 2024, and recorded more than 300% YoY growth,
NIQ: 88% of Dry January Participants Stuck With It Through Month’s End
Most consumers who planned to ditch alcohol in January finished strong, according to survey results from market research firm NIQ.
Constellation Brands Announces CEO Succession Plan
Constellation Brands has appointed current board member Nicholas Fink as its new CEO.