126 | The US Market Obsession: Distribution Complexity, Craft Beer Lessons and Heritage Versus Exit with Eric Franco

About this episode

This episode discusses the complexities of the US market for non-American drinks brands with insights from Eric Franco.

The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast is a leading drinks business podcast, listened to in 120 countries worldwide with 125+ episodes. Honest conversations about how the industry actually works, from the bar and what it means for the boardroom. This Episode is hosted by Chris Maffeo and brought to you by MAFFEO DRINKS . This episode examines the gravitational pull of the US market for non-American drinks brands, and what gets broken when a brand chases the flag without understanding the terrain. Eric Franco has worked across the full US drinks spectrum: SAB-Miller, Carlsberg territory, Leinenkugel, Michigan craft breweries, multi-state distribution, and on-premise operation from 1994 onwards. The conversation covers the three-tier system, the capital myth of “launching in the US,” the patience premium of heritage brands, the retailer as customer, what spirits missed that craft beer learned the hard way, and why regional taste profiles make the same IPA unsellable across state lines. It’s a working-session view of the US as a market that looks like one territory on a pitch deck and behaves like fifty. The US is the most profitable beverage market in the world. Every brand wants to be there…

People in this episode

Host: Chris Maffeo

Guest: Eric Franco

Topics covered

• US market
• distribution complexity
• craft beer
• heritage brands
• three-tier system
• regional taste profiles

Keywords

• US market
• distribution
• craft beer
• heritage brands
• three-tier system
• regional taste
• beverage industry

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: SAB-Miller, Carlsberg, Leinenkugel

Places: Michigan, US

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