Our latest distribution roundup finds Berczy getting in on the hard tea race in the Northeast and Woody Harrelson’s spirits heading into Massachusetts, while prepared cocktails Tequio and DIO sign deals with new distributors as they go deep in California and New York respectively.
UK’s Berczy Launches Hard Tea in Northeast
UK-based Berczy is bringing its vodka iced tea to the Northeast, just as leaders like Surfside expand their territory and other newcomers ride the hard tea wave.
Berczy, which debuted its Vodka Spritz in the U.S. in 2022, worked on a hard tea that would share the ethos of its spritz— organic ingredients, fruit-based and a brand built on “British charm” — for 18 months before launching in the U.S. The founders decided to come in a little higher on ABV to differentiate from other spirits-based iced teas.
“We’re trying to merge several trends together: the growth of tea, higher ABV and premiumization,” said co-founder Nick Graham.
The Lemon Tea and Peach Tea flavors are now expanding into Connecticut with Brescome Barton and into New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland and Washington D.C. via Opici Family Distributors. Graham sees the U.S. market as the brand’s biggest growth opportunity and will be replicating its spritz launch strategy: running hundreds of in-store tastings and popping up at events and festivals with a team of brand ambassadors recruited from local colleges.
They’ll be pushing the product into chain retailers where the brand already has a presence including Trader Joes, Total Wine & More, and Wegmans, as well as more premium liquor stores.
DIO Aims For the Minibar with RNDC in NY
Ready-to-drink cocktail brand and BevNET Live cocktail showdown participant DIO is cementing its presence in New York via a distribution deal with Republic National Distributing Company.
“Our partnership with RNDC will enable DIO to expand our off-premise retailer footprint four times from where we are today, as well as unlocking new opportunities for on-premise expansion,” said co-founder and CEO Nick Bradley.
Founded by event designer Bronson van Wyck and creative entrepreneur Bradley, DIO has made headway into New York City events like Save Venice at The Plaza, the mini fridge of upstate’s Urban Cowboy Lodge, and off-premise accounts such as Prospect Wines and Bottle Rocket. DIO continues to find success in hotel minibars and grab-and-gos, added Bradley.
Aiming to cater to a more “discerning palate” the luxury-branded RTD aims to continue to scale in its own backyard and expand to three to four additional states by the end of year.
The brand’s colorful 200ml canned cocktails ring in at $6.99 per can in New York and current offering includes the Hibiscus Rose French 75, Spicy Pineapple Margarita, Turmeric Ginger Lemon Mule and a Tahitian Vanilla Espresso Martini.
Tequio Signs with Los Angeles Distributing
Tequila sparkling cocktail Tequio is partnering with Los Angeles Distributing (LAD), a snack and beverage distributor in Southern California, as it adopts a regional approach focused on chain retailers.
“Partnering with LAD marks a significant milestone for Tequio, allowing us to expand our reach and share our line of sparkling tequila cocktails with a much wider audience in Southern California,” said co-founder Louis-Pascal Walsh.
Six months after its Southern California launch, the brand headed into L.A.’s luxury supermarket Erewhon at the end of last year. Looking ahead to 2024, Tequio will remain focused on the Southern California market for most of the year with strategic expansion into new markets, including parts of Mexico around Q4.
Woody Harrelson’s Holistic Spirits Co. Expands Into Massachusetts
Wellness entrepreneur Amy Holmwood and actor Woody Harrelson are taking their spirits made from botanical ingredients into Massachusetts. Holistic Spirits Co. launched with two expressions last September, Origen Specialty Vodka and Harmony Gin, aiming to showcase transparency around ingredients.
The liquid is infused with a proprietary blend of artichoke leaves, elderberries, green tea leaves, and muscadine grapes, and are non-GMO, contain zero sugar, and no artificial colors or flavors.
The brand has a presence in major cities across New York, New Jersey, California, Georgia, Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland, Utah, Florida, South Carolina and Louisiana with ambitions to be distributed nationally by the end of the year. In addition to leveraging its actor co-founder for ads, the brand also invests in publicity, paid social media, paid search campaigns, and in-store sampling events when launching new markets.
Other Notable News:
Buena Gave Ranch Water is now available at Demoulas Super Markets, Trader Joe’s, Total Wine & More, and Whole Foods Market stores in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.