Business of Drinks

How do you become a top RTD spritz brand without raising outside capital?That’s the story behind Saint Spritz, the wine-based canned spritz brand inspired by Italian aperitivo culture. In this episode of Business of Drinks, we talk with Ben Patton, CEO and co-founder of Saint Spritz, about how the brand reached 55,000 nine-liter cases in 2025, grew triple digits, expanded into 43 states, and became the number-one RTD spritz — while remaining fully bootstrapped.For Ben, that constraint became a discipline.Without VC money or growth-fund capital, Saint Spritz had to measure every dollar, test small, kill what didn’t work, and scale what did. The team couldn’t afford to “buy” growth. They had to prove velocity.That mindset shaped everything: The early DTC launch through co-founder (The Bachelorette) JoJo Fletcher’s audience, the move into national retail with Target, the buildout of a 100-person brand ambassador team, and the focus on turning shelf placement into repeat purchase.One of the biggest lessons? Getting on shelf is not the same as getting found.Because Saint Spritz is made with wine, retailers often place it in the wine aisle. But consumers shop it like an RTD canned cocktail — near High Noon, Surfside, White Claw, cold boxes, and grab-and-go occasions. Ben calls that problem “wine jail,” and says better placement can drive a 3x to 5x lift in velocity.In this episode, Ben breaks down:— How Saint Spritz used DTC demand as an early signal for retail— Why Target became the brand’s first major national growth driver— What retailers need to see before expanding a brand nationally— How a bootstrapped team decides which marketing bets deserve money— Why Saint Spritz built its own ambassador team instead of relying only on third-party tasting companies— How in-store tastings can move five to six cases when the team is trained and incentivized properly— Why “accessible premium” works when the liquid, packaging, and occasion all line up— How the brand’s non-alcoholic line quietly launched on Amazon and quickly became a major growth signal— Why cold-box placement may be the next big unlock as Saint Spritz expands through beer-distributor networksThis is a tactical episode for any drinks founder trying to scale without unlimited capital. Saint Spritz shows what happens when a brand combines a clear consumer occasion with disciplined spending, strong retail execution, and a relentless focus on velocity.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks website (sign up for our newsletter!)Business of Drinks YouTubeBusiness of Drinks LinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.Erica Duecy LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.Scott Rosenbaum LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.Caroline Lamb LinkedInInstagram @borkalineSubscribe to the Business of Drinks channel for more insights on how brands, retailers, and operators are unlocking growth across beverages. And please rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners. Thank you!

For many drinks brands, distribution can feel like the big unlock. Get the right distributor. Win the right placements. Add more doors.But inside the distributor tier, the math is more complicated.In this episode of Business of Drinks, Mark Chaplin, President, Commercial Sales at Southern Glazer’s Wines & Spirits, takes us inside how one of the most important companies in U.S. beverage alcohol thinks about growth, velocity, account strategy, data, and execution.Southern Glazer’s is the largest wine and spirits distributor in the United States. Shanken’s Market Watch estimates the company generates $25.2 billion in annual sales revenue, servicing more than 250,000 on- and off-premise accounts across 47 states.That scale makes this conversation especially useful for founders and commercial teams trying to understand what happens after a brand gets into distribution — and why more accounts do not always mean a stronger business.Mark explains why adding doors can lower sales per point of distribution, why not every placement creates the same value, and why suppliers need to think carefully about the tradeoff between expansion and velocity.We also get into the parts of distribution that are easy to underestimate:• The hidden costs of returns, wrong orders, stockouts, and poor program timing• Why trade spend gets wasted when brands are slow to decide where to focus• Why targeted “liquid to lips” often beats broad sampling for emerging brands• What makes a strong annual plan with a distributor — and why it has to start before the year begins• Why chain placements require long lead times, authorization strategy, and follow-through after the win• How the distributor salesperson’s job is shifting from order-taking to consultation as data, B2B platforms, and e-commerce change the sales callWe also talk about pricing strategy, on-premise economics, convenience channel authorizations, Southern Glazer’s Proof platform, and the broader changes reshaping the distributor landscape.For anyone trying to build a drinks brand inside the three-tier system, this is a practical look at how distribution really works — and what brands need to understand before they chase the next door.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks website (sign up for our newsletter!)Business of Drinks YouTubeBusiness of Drinks LinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.Erica Duecy LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.Scott Rosenbaum LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.Caroline Lamb LinkedInInstagram @borkalineIf you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

In this episode, we talk with Ben Salisbury, Founder and President of Salisbury Creative Group, about why beverage sales needs a reset.Ben has been selling wine and spirits since 1984, with leadership roles at Fetzer, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Constellation Brands, and Glazer’s. Today, he advises beverage companies on how to sell more effectively in a market that looks nothing like it did 10 or 15 years ago.His core argument: The old “more is more” playbook — more accounts, more markets, more points of distribution — does not work the way it used to. Distributors are overwhelmed. Buyers have more information than ever. And suppliers can no longer expect the middle tier to build demand for them.Instead, Ben makes the case for a narrower, deeper, more disciplined approach to growth. Brands need to know who their highest-value accounts really are, how those accounts make money, and what their product can do for the customer’s business — whether that means driving revenue, controlling costs, or improving guest satisfaction.We also get into one of Ben’s biggest themes: product knowledge is table stakes. What differentiates great salespeople now is business acumen, customer empathy, and flawless follow-up.In this episode, you’ll hear why “less is more” may be the smarter growth strategy in a down market; how the supplier-distributor relationship has changed; why sales should be treated as a customer journey, not a one-time pitch; how CRM can drive trust, follow-up, and reorder velocity; and how AI can help sales teams research buyers, sharpen messaging, and make their pitches more customer-focused.Plus, we open the episode with a Bar Convent Brooklyn recap:A few things stood out this year: The energy on the floor was strong, even in a tough market. Non-alc felt much more integrated into the broader drinks conversation. And flavor and function are continuing to evolve, from yuzu everywhere to electrolyte-positioned mixers and matcha liqueur. We also talk about rum momentum, the surprising uptick in gin and vodka producers, the lighter-than-expected RTD presence, and why sessions on retail and distributor strategy felt more urgent than conversations about M&A.For founders, sales leaders, and anyone trying to grow in today’s beverage market, this episode is a sharp, practical reminder: selling is no longer about pushing product. It’s about creating value for the customer.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks website (sign up for our newsletter!)Business of Drinks YouTubeBusiness of Drinks LinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.Erica Duecy LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.Scott Rosenbaum LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.Caroline Lamb LinkedInInstagram @borkalineSubscribe to the Business of Drinks channel for more insights on how brands, retailers, and operators are unlocking growth across beverages. And please rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners. Thank you!

What makes a drinks brand truly desirable — and how do you know when it’s ready to scale?In this episode of Business of Drinks, we talk with Carlos Zepeda, SVP of Strategy & Marketing - Wine & Spirits at Moët Hennessy USA. Carlos helps shape growth strategy across a portfolio that includes Belvedere, Glenmorangie, Ardbeg, Whispering Angel, Hennessy, Veuve Clicquot, Dom Pérignon, Krug, and Moët & Chandon.Carlos brings a CPG-trained lens to luxury wine and spirits, starting with what he calls “demand moments”: the role a brand plays in the consumer’s life. Is it built for a country club, a dinner party, a milestone celebration, a poolside bar, a fine-dining account, or a grocery delivery add-on? That answer shapes everything — distribution, content, partnerships, pricing, and activation.The big takeaway is that desirability comes before scale. Carlos defines desirability as both emotional and behavioral. Consumers have to want the brand, feel proud to be associated with it, talk about it, buy it, and refer it to others. And there’s an easy business test to measure desirability: If you have velocity without heavy discounting, that’s a sign of real demand. If you need promotions to move inventory, that tells you something else.We also dig into selective distribution, and why “being available” does not mean being everywhere. Carlos explains how a brand like Whispering Angel has to show up where consumers expect it — from restaurants and hotels to Instacart and Uber Eats — while a brand like Dom Pérignon requires a much more surgical account strategy.Plus, Carlos shares how luxury experiential marketing is changing, why the old influencer-driven FOMO model feels tired, how brands should think about creator-led content, and how he uses AI as a practical “thinking partner” while keeping human judgment at the center.For emerging brands, his advice is blunt: Less is more. Pick fewer markets, fewer programs, and fewer channels. Being small is not the problem. Acting too big too soon is.This episode is a deep dive into how drinks brands earn relevance: By understanding the occasion, building desirability, choosing the right accounts, listening for consumer signals, and staying focused on where growth is really coming from.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks website (sign up for our newsletter!)Business of Drinks YouTubeBusiness of Drinks LinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.Erica Duecy LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.Scott Rosenbaum LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.Caroline Lamb LinkedInInstagram @borkalineIf you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

The first mistake many drinks brands make when entering the U.S. market? Thinking that distributor procurement is the first big step.In reality, the importer layer is more significant than many realize. It’s where compliance, taxes, customs, cash flow, and route-to-market decisions collide, and where expensive missteps often trip brands up.In this episode of Business of Drinks, Scott Rosenbaum talks with Chelsea Andreozzi, founder of First Call Imports Consulting, about what it really takes to bring a wine or spirits brand into the U.S. market.Chelsea has spent 15 years across nearly every side of the bottle: Bartending, beverage directing, distilling, brand development, importing, and now consulting. Today, she helps wine and spirits brands, importers, and distributors build the systems they need to scale with more confidence.This conversation gets into the practical mechanics of importing: Federal permits, COLA approvals, FDA registrations, customs paperwork, CBMA tax credits, tariff refunds, brokers, and the details that determine whether a shipment clears smoothly or gets stuck at port.And the costs can add up quick. Chelsea has seen paperwork issues delay shipments for weeks, with fees climbing into the thousands — and in some cases, $25,000 on a single container.We also dig into why CBMA refunds can become a powerful cash-flow tool (IYKYK), what importers should be doing now to prepare for potential tariff refunds, where brokers fit into route-to-market strategy, and why self-distribution can be valuable early but rarely holds up as a long-term growth plan.The bigger lesson here is that import operations are not back-office housekeeping. For brands, they can be the difference between scaling with confidence and burning through time, money, and momentum before the first case ever sells.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks website (sign up for our newsletter!)Business of Drinks YouTubeBusiness of Drinks LinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.Erica Duecy LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.Scott Rosenbaum LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.Caroline Lamb LinkedInInstagram @borkalineIf you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

Chinola Fresh Fruit Liqueurs has grown by doing something that sounds simple, but is much harder to execute: Building a brand around one very specific trade problem, then proving that solution account by account. The brand has racked up double-digit growth every year since its founding, ending 2025 at 40K cases, and projecting +37% growth in 2026 to 55K cases. But the more interesting part is how Chinola has built that momentum.Chinola didn’t grow by chasing every account, every market, or every flavor trend. It grew by giving bartenders a fresh-fruit liqueur that could deliver acidity, consistency, and real fruit flavor without the operational headaches of fresh prep.That focus shaped the entire business. Chinola started with passion fruit, spent five years and 2,000 test batches getting the liquid right, and built its early momentum in the on-premise — where bartenders could understand the use case, put it on menus, and reorder. Today, roughly 60% of the brand’s sales still come from on-premise, which tells you a lot about how Chinola has built its credibility.In this episode, Andrew Merinoff, Co-Founder and CEO of Chinola, breaks down what it really takes to grow inside the three-tier system. The real work happens account by account, earning menu placements, supporting the trade, following up at the right moment, and proving that the product can sell through again and again.That’s why Andrew pushes back on the idea that more points of distribution automatically equal progress. Andrew says he would rather have 30 accounts that move 300 cases than 300 accounts that barely move product at all. For Chinola, the growth equation has been about volume, visibility, and velocity — and knowing which accounts can actually deliver one or more of those things.The conversation also gets into the realities of expansion. The addition of new mango and pineapple SKUs presented new challenges, with the products requiring years of development, and facing consistency and supply chain issues. Andrew discusses how the brand overcame those problems and continues to scale.For founders and sales teams, this is a useful case study in focused growth. Chinola’s rise shows how a brand can use the on-premise not just for awareness, but as a proving ground — and how disciplined execution can turn a single clear use case into a scalable business.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks website (sign up for our newsletter!)Business of Drinks YouTubeBusiness of Drinks LinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.Erica Duecy LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.Scott Rosenbaum LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.Caroline Lamb LinkedInInstagram @borkalineIf you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

In this episode, we sit down with Jesse Bongiovi, Founder of Hampton Water Wine Company and Lily Pond Group, to unpack how a brand that could have been written off as “celebrity wine” — backed by his father, Jon Bon Jovi — turned into a durable growth engine that’s bucking industry trends.Hampton Water is now at ~150,000 cases globally, growing ~20% year-over-year, distributed in 60+ countries, and built on a model that looks very different from how wine brands are typically scaled. During the pandemic, it became the #1 selling rosé on Wine.com, while also building one of the largest digital footprints in the category — now the most-followed alcohol brand on TikTok (~400K+ followers), according to Bongiovi — with some ~600,000 followers across platforms.But the real story is how that growth was built — and what it indicates about how wine is actually selling today.🔶 Demand-first, not distribution-firstHampton Water didn’t start by chasing placements. It built consumer pull first — through digital, DTC, and community — then used that demand to unlock distribution.🔶 Awareness doesn’t scale — repeat purchase doesEarly visibility (including the Bon Jovi name) opened doors, but it didn’t drive the business. Growth came once the product earned credibility and consumers came back for a second and third bottle.🔶 Most consumers aren’t buying wine the way the industry thinksWith ~86% of buyers choosing based on label alone (and another ~10% factoring in price), according to Bongiovi, the strategy shifted toward reducing friction — making the product easy to recognize, choose, and bring into any occasion.🔶 Sell the occasion, not the categoryHampton Water isn’t positioned around varietal or region. It’s built around moments — what you’re drinking, where you are, and who you’re with — making wine easier to engage with for a broader audience.This episode is a case study in how a modern wine brand scales — by aligning with how consumers actually behave, not how the industry expects them to.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks website (sign up for our newsletter!)Business of Drinks YouTubeBusiness of Drinks LinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.Erica Duecy LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.Scott Rosenbaum LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.Caroline Lamb LinkedInInstagram @borkalineIf you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

Wine may be under pressure — but some brands are still growing. The question is how.In this episode of Business of Drinks, we sit down with Jeff Ngo, EVP, Chief Growth Officer at The Duckhorn Portfolio, to break down how Decoy has scaled into a multi-tier platform brand — and why it continues to gain share in a flat category.The numbers tell the story. For the 52 weeks ending January 25, 2026 (Circana):Decoy Core: ~1M cases, +4.6% volume, +3.5% dollarsDecoy Limited: ~144K cases, +24% volume, +18.7% dollarsDecoy Featherweight: ~28.6K cases, +80% volume, +74.7% dollarsImpressive results by any measure — but this isn’t incremental growth. It’s a case study in how to build a platform inside a mature category, with each tier playing a defined role:Core ($15–$20): Scale, consistency, and national distributionLimited ($25–$30): Premium trade-up and margin expansionFeatherweight ($20–$25): Moderation and new consumer entryJeff explains how this was built intentionally — not as SKU expansion, but as consumer-led architecture. Each line targets a distinct audience and occasion, from socially influential “tastemakers” to younger consumers seeking lower-calorie options that still deliver on taste.Key takeaways for operators:Scaling requires saying no — to discounting, SKU sprawl, and short-term volume grabs that erode brand equityAt 1M+ cases, consistency becomes the brand; sourcing, production, and execution must align across every channelPlatform thinking beats product thinking; growth comes from structure, not just innovationPremiumization still works, but only when brands clearly overdeliver on valueDistribution follows demand; brands that pull win more support than those that pushJeff also shares how private equity ownership has shifted the focus toward long-term value creation, and how cross-category learnings are shaping digital and growth strategy.For founders, this is a clear look at what changes when you move from early traction to true scale — and why most brands struggle to make that leap.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks:YouTubeLinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.LinkedInInstagram @borkalineIf you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

What happens when you rebuild French wine from scratch — without appellations, without traditional grapes, and without the assumption that younger consumers care about either?In this episode, we sit down with Antonin Bonnet, co-founder of Pierre & Antonin, a fast-growing French wine brand scaling a very specific idea: Natural wine at a true mass-premium price point.The numbers and positioning are what make this story compelling. Pierre & Antonin produced ~350,000 bottles last year and is targeting ~400,000 this year, expanding across 20+ export markets. But the real unlock is how they got there — by rethinking everything from grape selection to packaging to brand storytelling.At the core is a contrarian bet: Hybrid “resistant” grape varieties. Long dismissed by the traditional wine industry, these grapes dramatically reduce vineyard inputs — less spraying, lower labor, lower cost — enabling the brand to hit a $15–$20 price point while maintaining margins.That economic model is paired with a sharp read on the consumer. Their average drinker is 26–27 years old — a cohort that prioritizes taste, price, sustainability, and story over varietal pedigree or appellation.And critically, the business is built around velocity, not tradition:Product-market fit: Pet Nat was the breakout SKU, driving ~60% of volume globallyRetail unlock: Landing Trader Joe’s doubled revenue and validated U.S. national demandGo-to-market: Instagram collaborations outperform paid ads for reaching urban Gen Z consumersBrand strategy: Simplified labels and back-label education reduce friction at shelfThere’s also a deeper industry question running through this conversation: Is wine overbuilt for the next generation?While the trade debates appellations and varietal purity, Pierre & Antonin is building for accessibility — in price, in messaging, and in experience. The result is a brand that’s growing by aligning sustainability with economics, not just storytelling.For drinks founders, this episode is a case study in identifying white space, challenging category assumptions, and designing a business model that actually works at scale.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks:YouTubeLinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.LinkedInInstagram @borkalineIf you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

What happens when a small experimental wine project turns into one of the most recognizable brands in the grocery store?In this episode of Business of Drinks, we sit down with John Anthony Truchard, Founder and CEO of John Anthony Wine & Spirits, the company behind Butter Wines.What began as a 1,000-case experiment in 2009 has grown into a brand approaching 800,000 cases annually, with Butter itself scaling to more than $85 million in revenue. At one point, the brand controlled roughly 18% of the $15–$20 Chardonnay segment in the U.S. — an extraordinary share in a crowded category.Even more unusual: The brand achieved that scale without outside investment. Instead of venture capital, Truchard relied on bank financing, disciplined inventory management, and one “north star” signal — strong consumer pull.As he explains in this episode, aggressively scaling Butter wasn’t the riskiest decision he made. It was the least risky because the wine kept selling out in the markets where it launched.We unpack how Butter found its market seam by delivering a rich, barrel-style Chardonnay at a price point between mass brands like Kendall-Jackson and premium players like Rombauer. Truchard also explains how the company engineered a premium flavor profile at scale, and how he started with small, scrappy distributors before transitioning to national distribution with Southern Glazer’s and RNDC.Along the way, he shares candid lessons about growth — including the risks of locking in long-term grape contracts during boom years and how those decisions create difficult adjustments when the market softens.Finally, we discuss the company’s structured approach to innovation. Instead of chasing trends, the team follows a disciplined process — evaluation, innovation, execution, iteration — and then decides whether to accelerate a product or retire it.That framework has already produced Butter Light, now one of the fastest-growing light Chardonnays, and Butter Zero, which launched with 18,000 points of distribution before its first release.For founders and operators, this episode is a masterclass in scaling a drinks brand with focus, discipline, and the confidence to double down when the market says yes.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks website (sign up for our newsletter!)Business of Drinks YouTubeBusiness of Drinks LinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.Erica Duecy LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.Scott Rosenbaum LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.Caroline Lamb LinkedInInstagram @borkalineIf you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

In an era of low-and-no headlines, one contrarian wine brand leaned into flavor high ABV. It scaled to 2.5 million cases in just three years.In this episode of Business of Drinks, Erica sits down with Kaitlin Silva, Director of National Accounts at Tri-Vin Wines & Spirits, to unpack how XXL went from roughly 85,000 cases in its first year (2023) to 2.5 million cases in 2025, while much of wine was flat or declining.The story isn’t just about virality; it’s about execution.XXL didn’t start by winning Walmart. It was built in independent markets first - including roughly 100,000 cases in Maryland and about 300,000 cases in New York in year two. Consumers were actively looking for the brand. That pull-through gave Tri-Vin leverage when approaching national chains. Kaitlin offers a rare inside look at how national accounts actually function, with two reset windows a year and six-to-eight-month feedback loops. It’s a “hurry up and wait” cycle where you’re pitching into fall’s reset before knowing your spring results. We also discuss how data is the real language of chains. Kaitlin talks about living in SKU rankings, flavor segmentation, and state-by-state performance slicing. As she says, you may not be top 100 overall - but you might be top 5 within a specific subsegment in that region, and that’s the conversation that opens doors.Perhaps most interesting for trade listeners: Velocity is currently winning over pure margin optimization. Many chains are focused on moving units and driving incremental shoppers in a value-conscious environment. XXL’s ability to turn - and to bring new consumers into the wine aisle - has been central to its expansion.If you’re building a beverage brand, pitching national accounts, or trying to understand where wine’s real growth pockets are emerging, this episode offers perspective on how independents create momentum, how data earns scale, and why sometimes the biggest opportunity comes from zigging while everyone else zags.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks:YouTubeLinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.LinkedInInstagram @borkalineIf you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

What does it take to turn a 1,500-acre family orchard into the second-largest cider company in the U.S.?In this episode of Business of Drinks, Caroline sits down with Andrew Blake, Founder and CEO of Blake’s Beverage Company, to unpack how a seasonal agricultural business evolved into a national beverage platform selling just over 2 million cases annually across 44 states.Blake’s began with a barn renovation and a tasting room designed to smooth out harvest-driven revenue. Six months later, a distributor knocked — and Andrew had to learn distribution on the fly. The move changed the trajectory of the company, but not without cost.For founders, this is a grounded look at what scaling through the three-tier system actually requires. Andrew shares how the business was profitable in direct-to-consumer agritainment — then lost money entering distribution. The takeaway: Distribution is a long game, with upfront margin compression, trade spend, and capital intensity that many underestimate.We also dig into the mechanics of growth. Blake’s expanded from a 5,000-square foot facility to a multi-plant footprint in Michigan, New York, Texas, and Oregon to de-risk apple supply and mitigate crop volatility. Today, the company manages roughly 200 distributors and nearly 200 beverage-focused employees within a broader 1,100-person enterprise.Two hero SKUs anchor the portfolio: Triple Jam (~350,000 cases projected this year) and American Apple (~300,000 cases and accelerating). Andrew’s view aligns with broader data: Younger consumers are drinking less volume but seeking more flavor and impact — and cider’s flavor-forward profile is resonating.Category-wise, cider still accounts for under 3% of beer share in the U.S., compared to 7–8% in more mature markets. Andrew believes there’s room to expand — through premiumization on one end and new value plays, including a more aggressive push into convenience, on the other.We also explore Blake’s roll-up strategy with Austin Eastciders and Avid Cider, and Andrew’s caution to founders eyeing acquisitions: Cut synergy projections in half and assume everything will take longer than planned.If you’re building in beverage — especially in a capital-intensive, agricultural category — this episode offers real insight on distribution strategy, capital discipline, and earning mindshare at scale.Because as Andrew puts it: There’s no finish line. The job just gets bigger.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks:YouTubeLinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.LinkedInInstagram @borkalineIf you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

What looks like a novelty on the shelf can be a very real business when the fundamentals are right.In this episode of Business of Drinks, we sit down with John King, co-founder and owner of The Original Pickle Shot, to unpack how a bartender-born ritual turned into a nationally scaled spirits brand.The numbers tell the story. The Original Pickle Shot is now selling roughly 110K 9-liter cases annually, growing ~15% year over year, and ranks as the 10th largest flavored vodka in the U.S. — all without outside investment. What many assume is a niche product is, in reality, a high-velocity business driven by occasion, community, and repeat purchase.John walks through what product-market fit actually looked like for the brand — not hype or marketing spend, but watching depletions rise organically as consumers pulled the product through retail. Early success came off-premise first, with 50 mL bottles driving trial and 750 mLs becoming the fastest-growing format as the brand earned its place in party and tailgate occasions.For founders, this episode is a candid look at the trade-offs of staying self-funded. John shares how reinvesting every dollar back into the business forced discipline around expansion, prevented “false volume,” and slowed state rollouts until the company had the operational backbone to support them. The cost: Years of personal sacrifice and saying no to capital. The benefit: Control, speed of decision-making, and sustainable velocity.Distributors and retailers will appreciate John’s clear-eyed take on partnerships — why beer vs. spirits houses matter less than alignment on expectations and margins — and how fun, irreverent brands still need hard data to win shelf space.If you’re building, selling, or scaling a drinks brand and want a grounded example of how a so-called niche becomes a category leader, this conversation delivers real-world lessons.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks:YouTubeLinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.LinkedInInstagram @borkalineIf you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!