In his own words, Grisa Soba has “always been a contrarian and tried to do things differently.” That approach has taken Flaviar, the spirits enthusiast membership club Soba launched in 2012 from a simple tasting box format to one of the largest clubs of its kind serving the U.S. and EU.
With more drinkers reaching for tequila-based ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails, mezcal versions could seem like a natural next step considering the spirit’s recent rise. Madre Mezcal, a brand with a foothold in the mezcal market is the most recent to launch their version, a 5% ABV can called Desert Water that comes in four flavors. Meanwhile, Elenita, which launched as the first mezcal RTD in 2020, has been steadily growing their distribution. But unlike other agave spirit RTDs, they might not get much competition for a while – the supply chain challenges are just that big.
Speaking just a few weeks after the energy drink maker’s Q2 earnings report, Monster president and chairman Rodney Sacks said the price increase will kick in on September 1, coming on the heels of incremental hikes in late 2021 and early 2022. The move will put Monster in line with chief rival Red Bull, which communicated to retailers that it will raise pricing by 7.6% (about 10 cents per can) on the same date.
Last week, premium whiskey Uncle Nearest announced its third in a series of investments designed to create a tangible shift in the funding inequities for BIPOC-owned businesses. It comes at a time when other Black founders and business leaders are also making strides to celebrate Black people’s historical contributions to spirits and build more Black-owned legacy beverage businesses.
Spirit alternative maker Ritual Zero Proof this week announced it has hired craft non-alcoholic beer veteran Tom Halaska as its National Sales Director.
The pronghorn is the second-fastest land mammal in the world, second only to the cheetah. But the pronghorn can sustain its speed for longer than a cheetah, according to Dia Simms, a co-founder of Pronghorn, an initiative focused on cultivating the next generation of Black entrepreneurs, executive leaders, and founders within the spirits business. Simms, the CEO of Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal, called the name Pronghorn symbolic of the race to correct inequity in the spirits industry, which she described as a marathon, not a sprint.
From actors to musicians to the world’s richest man, high profile figures have built their own category within the alcohol industry: celebrity spirits. But as celebrity-owned or endorsed brands become the norm, what makes them succeed or fail?
Although summer solstice is still a ways away, the season has unofficially arrived in the form of seven new ready-to-drink cocktails and mocktails. In this gallery, we highlight the first-ever canned cocktail lines from Kraken Rum and New Amsterdam Vodka and several modern twists on classic drinks from Uncle Tim’s.
Two of the biggest names in beverage-alcohol data are joining forces. Global data giant NielsenIQ announced today it has acquired on-premise data firm CGA, in which it initially invested in 2009. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
In the on-premise channel, bars and restaurants have earned more than $12,000 on average from the sale of cocktails in the first quarter of 2022, compared to the 12 weeks that ended October 22, reported CGA, which focuses on on-premise retail occasions.
Seven states plus the District of Columbia currently allow distillers to ship direct-to-consumer (DTC), but that number may be changing with a new bill making its way through the California Legislature.
As the sun finally emerges from behind the clouds, ready-to-drink cocktail makers are rolling out new products to sip in the sunshine. Check out this gallery for two new canned cocktails from Post Meridiem, a line of desert waters from Madre Mezcal and new product formats from Red Lady and Corsair Distillery.
After over two decades, CompassBox has earned a name for itself through frequent releases of blended malts and a campaign aimed at encouraging transparency in whisky spirits. That’s the exact kind of innovation and passion Manesh Rungta, the founder and managing partner of Cælum Capital Limited, is looking for.
Like sweatpants and sourdough, golf gained an unexpected burst of popularity during the pandemic, earning droves of players looking for an outdoors oasis and socially distant entertainment. Another leisure activity that saw pandemic growth: ready-to-drink cocktails. Now the two are combining.
