Business of Drinks

Ready for a meteoric growth story?! Today we talk with Clement Pappas, co-founder and CEO of Stateside Brands, the maker of Surfside Iced Tea + Vodka, and Stateside Vodka and Stateside Vodka Sodas.  For listeners who are not on the East Coast, this brand is suddenly everywhere. Last year, the Surfside line alone grew by 1 million cases to 1.3 million cases. And they’ve already surpassed that amount this year — by mid summer!  In fact, year-to-date Surfside is the No. 1 fastest-growing spirits RTD brand in the U.S. with top velocity rates and dollar share gains (via BWC data). This story illustrates the transformative effects an RTD line extension can have for an alcohol brand. In this case, the core brand was Stateside Vodka, which launched in 2015 as a local Philly alternative to Tito’s Vodka. During the pandemic, Clem and team identified that consumers were hitting seltzer fatigue and looking for alternatives — i.e. an emerging white space for premium, vodka-based hard teas and lemonades. Stateside was an early mover, building up a strong core market in Philadelphia, and expanding throughout the mid-Atlantic before exploding onto the national stage.  They leaned into label transparency — positioning their products at the 100 calorie per can level with 2 grams of sugar and 3 grams of carbs. And they developed fun and cheeky marketing, positioning the brand as a “0 bubbles” alternative to hard seltzer. And it turns out that these things resonate with younger consumers!  Key Takeaways -What led Stateside to identify an innovative new white space in RTDs -The thought process that went into developing two hit RTD lines — carbonated and non-carbonated -How Surfside landed on its simple, effective branding and messaging strategy -The extensive flavor and formulation process that yielded a line of crisp, sessionable — and craveable — RTDs -How Stateside leveraged Covid restrictions to double its volumes -Local partnerships (baseball teams!) that drove early brand awareness and growth -How Stateside partnered with NJ distributor Fedway to build out the distribution and marketing plan that enabled exponential growth -How Stateside quickly scaled its sales and marketing machine  -The brand’s most successful accounts (think stadiums and golf clubs!) -The demographic that’s consuming the most Stateside products -How Surfside’s on-premise sales strategy is driving high velocity  -How the brand is fueling growth from an investment perspective Stay tuned for our next episode dropping on Aug. 7.  Episode Links: Caroline + Scott’s Last Call playlist: ​​https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2AB1nSC0OVoy6LNa5VizT1?si=25659372344e43de For the latest updates, follow us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/business-of-drinks/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizofdrinks/ Erica 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 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. https://www.instagram.com/ericaduecy/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-duecy-4a35844/ Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks, and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. He currently serves as North America Search Manager at Distill Ventures. He was formerly the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-m-rosenbaum/ Caroline Lamb, contributor:  Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a sales representative at Great Lakes Wine & Spirits.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-bork-lamb/ If you like what you heard, help us spread the word! Follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and rate and review our episodes. Thank you!

Is your beverage brand in fundraising mode? If so, this is the episode for you! We talk with Giuseppe Infusino, a partner and the chief investment officer at InvestBev, a private equity firm that deploys growth capital to drinks brands. He leads InvestBev’s investment sourcing, diligence, and structuring processes, and partners with portfolio companies to increase their likelihood of success. In this masterclass, Giuseppe shares his proprietary, 4-part framework for fundraising success — Plan, Path, Pitch, and Process. By the end of the episode you’ll have answers to these questions:  In the PLAN stage: How should I frame my product, and the opportunity it represents, to investors? What do investors want to know about my company’s infrastructure? What should I be prepared to share about my customers and GTM strategy? In the PATH stage: What are the different types of funding I should be aware of? How can I find potential funding sources? How should I approach potential funders? At the PITCH stage: How should I think about my pitch deck? What is the most essential information I need in that deck? How can I improve my chances of success?  In the PROCESS stage: What happens after the pitch? How can I effectively support the process?  What else should I be thinking about? If you want an edge on pitching to investors in today’s challenging fundraising climate, listen in.  Stay tuned for our next episode dropping on 7/24.  Links: Resilient Wine by Stevie Stacionis: ⁠https://resilientwine.substack.com/⁠ Massican Wine: ⁠https://www.massican.com/ Ep 22: Cann’s Jake Bullock on Growing a THC Beverage Brand: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/business-of-drinks/episodes/22-How-THC-Drinks-Brand-Cann-Grew-to-36-Million-in-Sales--with-CEO-Jake-Bullock---Business-of-Drinks-e2g5r00/a-ab0ba9k Ep 7: InvestBev’s Brian Rosen on Fractional Sales: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/business-of-drinks/episodes/07-Beverage-Alcohol-Sales-Strategies-with-Brian-Rosen---Business-of-Drinks-e25ljjj/a-ab64i9u For the latest updates, follow us: Business of Drinks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/business-of-drinks/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizofdrinks/ Erica 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 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. https://www.instagram.com/ericaduecy/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-duecy-4a35844/ Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks, and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. He currently serves as North America Search Manager at Distill Ventures. He was formerly the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-m-rosenbaum/ Caroline Lamb, contributor:  Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a sales representative at Great Lakes Wine & Spirits.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-bork-lamb/ If you like what you heard, help us spread the word! Follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and rate and review our episodes. It really does help us find new listeners. Thank you!

Today we’re talking with Allison Luvera, co-founder and CEO of Juliet, a wine company that’s reshaping the narrative around boxed wine.  Allison has a really interesting background having worked in fashion advertising for Vogue and InStyle magazines, then later as director of Pernod Ricard’s luxury marketing division, as brand marketing lead for Perrier-Jouet Champagne, Martell Cognac, Tequila Avion, Absolut Elyx, The Glenlivet, and Chivas. Juliet is an interesting product because it forged new territory in the boxed wine category, with very stylish branding and packaging. It’s a cylindrical carton with a velvet rope handle, and really stands out on the shelf as a premium pick.  Juliet is having phenomenal traction in hospitality venues — it’s now being served poolside at the Bellagio in Las Vegas and several Auberge resorts. Customers are ordering the whole box and perching it on tables to keep refilling their own glasses. And at retail, the brand has defined itself as a go-to for gatherings, from bachelorette parties to PTA meetings. We discuss how Allison and co-founder Lauren DeNiro identified the whitespace in the boxed wine category, and pursued a solution — and a specific customer — with laser-like focus. Juliet has now raised more than $5 million in funding, and has surpassed 10,000 cases of 1.5 L cartons.  Some key takeaways from the episode:  Why boxed wine is a predicted to be a bright spot in the wine category in the coming years How Juliet closed a new round (in a tough fundraising environment!) to bring its fundraising total to $5 million Why Juliet is moving from a predominantly DTC model to a wholesale model How public relations and paid social campaigns drove growth in the early days Why “customers are the new influencers” – and how to engage and incentivize informal brand ambassadors Why on-premise partnerships in prestige accounts are crucial for discovery and brand-building Links Referenced in Show Juliet Wine: https://drinkjuliet.com/  IWSR’s ​​Key trends for the US wine market in 2024: https://www.theiwsr.com/key-trends-for-the-us-wine-market-in-2024/#:~:text=IWSR%20forecasts%20that%20US%20wine,2022%20falling%20by%20%2D3%25  Future Market Insights’ Wine Box Market Outlook: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/wine-box-market  1,000 True Fans: https://kk.org/thetechnium/1000-true-fans/  The ‘Drinks of Summer’ that Never Were (Vinepair): https://vinepair.com/articles/drinks-of-the-summer-that-never-were/ Stay tuned for our next episode dropping on July 10.  For the latest updates, follow us: Business of Drinks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/business-of-drinks/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizofdrinks/ Erica 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 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.   https://www.instagram.com/ericaduecy/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-duecy-4a35844/ Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks, and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. He currently serves as North America Search Manager at Distill Ventures. He was formerly the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-m-rosenbaum/ Caroline Lamb, contributor:  Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a sales representative at Great Lakes Wine & Spirits.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-bork-lamb/ If you like what you heard, help us spread the word! Follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and rate and review our episodes. It really does help us find new listeners. Thank you!

Some exciting news to share! The Business of Drinks podcast is growing by leaps and bounds, and with it — some new voices are coming onto the airwaves.  First up, Scott Rosenbaum is joining as the show’s new co-host. If you’re not yet acquainted with Scott, he’s a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Currently, he is the North America search manager at Distill Ventures, the world’s first drinks industry accelerator. He was formerly vice president at T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor. While there, Scott created T. Edward’s craft spirits portfolio, which represented over two dozen distilleries, including Arette Tequila, High Wire Distilling Co., La Gritona Tequila, and others.  And next up, Caroline Lamb joins as producer and on-air talent overseeing the newly revamped Last Call segment. Caroline is a sales representative at Great Lakes Wine & Spirits, based in Detroit, Michigan. She has worked in myriad beverage roles, from bartender to wine cellar assistant.  Scott and Caroline bring an exciting new dimension to the podcast, with their cross-functional, cross-generational — and even cross-country — perspectives. With these additions, Business of Drinks is becoming even more of a ‘must-listen’ for leaders and stakeholders from throughout the drinks industry. In this debut episode, Erica and Scott discuss mid-year drinks trends. They take a data-backed approach to discuss how fears around the “end of alcohol” are overblown. Then, they dive into the emerging trends of non-carbonated alcohol waters and its counterpart — the OG and new wave of hard tea and hard lemonades. Finally, they move on to discuss the emergence of spicy drinks across categories — including new spicy wine brands (yes, you read that right!). Caroline wraps us up in Last Call, hopping into a lively debate with the team about gender-based marketing — yay or nay? Plus, which brands are doing it well, and which are falling flat. Stay tuned for our next episode dropping on 6/26.  For the latest updates, follow us: Business of Drinks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/business-of-drinks/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizofdrinks/ Erica 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 has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.  https://www.instagram.com/ericaduecy/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-duecy-4a35844/ Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and North America Search Manager at Distill Ventures. Scott was formerly the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor. While there, he created their craft spirits portfolio which represented over two dozen distilleries including Arette Tequila, High Wire Distilling Co., and La Gritona Tequila, among others. https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-m-rosenbaum/ Caroline Lamb, contributor:  Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a sales representative at Great Lakes Wine & Spirits, based in Detroit, Michigan.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-bork-lamb/ If you like what you heard, help us spread the word! Follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and rate and review our episodes. It really does help us find new listeners. Thank you!

Today, we’re talking shop! That is, how to work with mass-market retailers. For those who are new to the industry, mass retail refers to big-box stores like Target, Costco, and Walmart as well as supermarket chains like Safeway and Kroger. And what most people don’t realize is that these types of stores have their own ways of doing business, and even their own terminology (do you know what a cut-in is? Or a reset?). So it’s important to get up to speed before trying to pitch your product into this channel.  Over the past few months, several Business of Drinks listeners have reached out, asking me to do an episode on best practices for working with big-box stores. So today, I’ve got answers!  I talk with Mike Percic, a mass retail veteran who recently concluded a 16-years career working with Target, most recently leading its Adult Beverage business — and he now advises brands on how to work effectively with mass retailers.  We’ve structured this conversation as a masterclass, going from how to pitch mass retailers and how to land an order, to how to stay on the shelves once you’ve fulfilled that first order.  Key Takeaways -How big your production capacity should be before pitching to mass retail -Who to pitch and what the pitch process entails -The business metrics most mass retail buyers will want to know before signing your brand -How (and when) to ask the right questions — without annoying your buyer -How (and why) some brands work with sales brokers -Product placement lead times and lifecycle -How to get favorable merchandising, like end caps and display assets -What competitive pricing and favorable margins look like -Logistics and distribution considerations -How mass retail buyers will be analyzing your brand’s performance -How to be a proactive partner to avoid getting kicked off the shelf This one is chock-full of useful information to help you land some key accounts. Enjoy! Plus, FREE tickets to Vinexpo America And an exciting announcement about Vinexpo New York, which is just two weeks away. If you don’t yet have a ticket but were hoping to attend, you’re in luck! Vinexpo has made available 50 free passes to the two day conference exclusively for Business of Drinks listeners — and that includes all of the tastings and masterclasses. When checking out, use the code ERICANYC for your free pass. And please come and join me — I’ll be closing out the conference on Tuesday, 6/25, at 4:50 pm with a talk about optimizing your marketing and sales to better connect with Millennial and Gen Z audiences. It’s a great way to end the event, with a look ahead at the best ways to move your business forward. Here’s more info: https://vinexpo-america.com/newfront/sessions/10318 Stay tuned for our next episode dropping on June 19.  About Erica Duecy, host: Erica Duecy is founder and host of Business of Drinks, and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies. She also has led digital editorial teams at Architectural Digest and Saveur magazines. Her content, podcast, and video programs have won more than 40 digital and editorial awards. She is a WSET Advanced-certified wine and spirits communicator, and author of the cocktail book Storied Sips (Random House), about the real-life stories behind the world’s most famous cocktails.    To learn more about Erica Duecy: https://www.instagram.com/ericaduecy/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-duecy-4a35844/ https://twitter.com/ericaduecy And if you like what you heard, help us spread the word! Follow Business of Drinks, and rate and review our episodes on any platform where you’re listening. It helps us find new listeners. Thank you!

Today’s episode is a case study on how a 140-year old winery was able to quickly shift its consumer base from Boomers to Millennials. Aly Wente, a 5th generation vintner and Wente’s vice president of marketing and customer experience, shares key learnings and insights relevant to all brands looking to engage younger consumers.  For those of you unfamiliar with Wente Vineyards, it was founded in 1883, and is located in Livermore Valley, east of San Francisco. Until recently, the brand had a consumer mix that was common for a long-running premium wine brand — dominated by Boomers, aged 60 and up. But in the past 3 years that customer demographic flipped. Aly led the charge to future proof Wente’s business by shifting its marketing strategy to focus on younger audiences, and the effort has paid off in spades. Wente’s sales are now dominated by Millennials (aged 28-43) and Generation X (ages 44-59), with Boomers in third place.  If you’re looking to understand what works in terms of marketing to Millennials in the drinks space, this one’s for you. We cover: How to develop an authentic — and relevant — brand voice Why aspirational lifestyle campaigns are key for younger audiences How Wente shifted from print to digital marketing spend for clearer ROI Paid advertising strategies that actually work The essential marketing software tech stack How to capture and leverage social media trends to drive engagement How to reinvigorate your brand strategy and social media presence Why it’s worth investing in original imagery instead of using stock photography Stay tuned for our next episode dropping on June 12.  About Erica Duecy, host: Erica Duecy is host of Business of Drinks, and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies. She also has led digital editorial teams at Architectural Digest and Saveur magazines. Her content, podcast, and video programs have won more than 40 digital and editorial awards. She is a WSET Advanced-certified wine and spirits communicator, and author of the cocktail book Storied Sips (Random House), about the real-life stories behind the world’s most famous cocktails.    To learn more about Erica Duecy: https://www.instagram.com/ericaduecy/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-duecy-4a35844/ https://twitter.com/ericaduecy And if you like what you heard, help us spread the word! Follow Business of Drinks, and rate and review our episodes on any platform where you’re listening. It helps us find new listeners. Thank you

WYNK is a cannabis drinks brand with a fascinating backstory. WYNK was founded in 2021 by Casey Parzych, Angus Rittenburg, and Shawn Sheehan, three friends (a beverage distributor, mechanical engineer, and energy trader) looking for a new opportunity in the cannabis beverage market. Their challenge: find a way to dose the seltzer with THC legally, as current laws for dispensary distribution require dosing in the states where the drinks will be sold. Selling in Massachusetts? Dose in Massachusetts. Selling in Minnesota? Dose in Minnesota. Enter Angus, a mechanical engineer who previously had worked on developing batteries for Tesla and rockets for SpaceX. The team decided the most efficient solution would be to build a mobile manufacturing facility on flatbed trucks that they could drive from state to state. With a $750,000 budget, Angus built WYNK 1.0 — a series of rigs (and a water truck) that, along with six people, traveled the country making WYNK. They sold 1 million cans in their first year. But WYNK 1.0 was cumbersome and expensive. Angus then set out to find a better (and more compact) way to manufacture. WYNK 2.0 is now fully operational — and you can hear all about it in this episode, along with these insights: KEY TAKEAWAYS: How WYNK built its retail footprint to 13 states and DTC to 37 states The challenge of building consumer awareness for low-dose THC drinks How WYNK scaled its products to become price-comparable with alcohol-containing RTDs Why Millennials are the core demographic for WYNK and other low-dose THC drinks Why variety packs are key to product trial Why the brand offers multiple THC dosage options How hyperlocal sampling events have fueled the brand’s customer base Why micro-influencers are moving the needle for social growth Stay tuned for our next episode dropping on May 29.  About Erica Duecy, host: Erica Duecy is host of Business of Drinks, and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies. She also has led digital editorial teams at Architectural Digest and Saveur magazines. Her content, podcast, and video programs have won more than 40 digital and editorial awards. She is a WSET Advanced-certified wine and spirits communicator, and author of the cocktail book Storied Sips (Random House), about the real-life stories behind the world’s most famous cocktails.    To learn more about Erica Duecy: https://www.instagram.com/ericaduecy/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-duecy-4a35844/ https://twitter.com/ericaduecy And if you like what you heard, help us spread the word! Follow Business of Drinks, and rate and review our episodes on any platform where you’re listening. It helps us find new listeners. Thank you

In this episode, we talk about one woman’s quest to bring non-alcoholic adult beverages to the masses. Our guest is Emily Heintz, founder of Sèchey. Sèchey is a retailer focused on alcohol-free and functional drinks — and also low dose THC products – that launched in 2021. Sèchey has a bricks-and-mortar shop in Charleston, South Carolina, an ecommerce platform that ships nationwide, and a curated collection of products within Target stores nationwide.  Emily has a fascinating story. After the retail veteran launched Sèchey, she found fundraising efforts to be challenging. Sadly, that’s all too familiar a scenario for female founders: According to Pitchbook data, in 2023, women-founded startups received 2% or less of venture capital (VC) funding in the United States and Europe. This number has remained unchanged for over a decade. But Emily didn’t throw up her hands and quit. Instead, she found an innovative way to build her retail brand nationally by partnering with the mass retailer Target. Sèchey now has a curated collection of its products nationwide, in some 2,000 Target stores. The brands carried there include Surely, Starla, and De Soi wines, non alcoholic cocktails from Ghia, Edna’s, and Mingle, and functional beverages from Kin Euphorics among others, along with Sèchey’s own branded line of dealcoholized wines. If you’re interested in what’s happening in the non-alcoholic beverage space, you won’t want to miss this episode. We cover a lot of ground. A few of the key takeaways: How Sèchey landed a curated product collection within Target stores nationwide What Boisson’s closure means for the emerging non-alcohol product landscape Understanding the regulatory challenges faced by non-alcoholic brands How retail pop-ups helped Sèchey build brand awareness Why product tastings are so crucial for driving bottle sales The shifting distribution landscape for non-alcoholic and THC beverages Why Sèchey is modeling itself after Sephora Customer data — who’s buying non-alcoholic and functional beverages How Sèchey developed its own in-house brand of dealcoholized wines What e-commerce looks like in the non-alc beverage space How to pitch Sèchey if you’re a non-alc or THC brand Stay tuned for our next episode dropping on May 15.  About Erica Duecy, host: Erica Duecy is founder of Business of Drinks, and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies. She also has led digital editorial teams at Architectural Digest and Saveur magazines. Her content, podcast, and video programs have won more than 40 digital and editorial awards. She is a WSET Advanced-certified wine and spirits communicator, and author of the cocktail book Storied Sips (Random House), about the real-life stories behind the world’s most famous cocktails.    To learn more about Erica Duecy: https://www.instagram.com/ericaduecy/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-duecy-4a35844/ https://twitter.com/ericaduecy And if you like what you heard, help us spread the word! Follow Business of Drinks, and rate and review our episodes on any platform where you’re listening. It helps us find new listeners. Thank you

Today we’re talking about digital-first distribution solutions. Erica hops on with Cheryl Durzy, founder and CEO of LibDib, to discuss the on-demand distribution platform. The name is short for Liberation Distribution, and that should give you a sense of Cheryl’s approach. Cheryl launched LibDib in 2016 out of her own frustration as a supplier navigating the byzantine distribution landscape. LibDib is now a distribution solution for some 1,200 wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic drinks brands in 15 states, and it has a CBD wholesale platform as well, called CBDib. On the main platform, there are about 10,000 buyers, from restaurants and bars to mom-and-pop retailers and chains like Costco, Total Wine, and Whole Foods. Since 2018, LibDib has partnered with distribution giant RNDC on LibDib’s technology platform. Later, in 2021, the two companies created LibDib@RNDC, a sales division that offers a distribution model for wine and spirits products in RNDC markets. The division works with both established and new brands, and can help them "graduate” to RNDC. LibDib has made distribution more accessible by allowing any supplier to open an account for free, and to sell any quantity of product from 1 bottle to several pallets at a time to on- and off-premise accounts.  But LibDib differs from traditional distributors in that it doesn’t have a sales team out pounding the pavement — suppliers manage those relationships. Nor is it keeping inventory on hand — orders are fulfilled upon demand, and then travel through LibDib’s warehouses to respect “at rest” laws where required. In this conversation, we get into the nitty gritty of how the platform works, and how to sign up and work with LibDib whether you’re a domestic or international brand. We cover the markups you’ll find on the platforms, and the levels of service available, as well as some important information about:  How to “go live” in a new market Avoiding pitfalls as a new brand Understanding state-by-state compliance How LibDib differs from traditional distributors Understanding “at rest” requirements When it’s a good idea to contract a portfolio manager How to work with LibDib as an international brand Products that are in high demand (would you believe drink pouches?) And more!  Stay tuned for our next episode dropping on May 1.  About Erica Duecy, host: Erica Duecy is host of Business of Drinks, and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies. She also has led digital editorial teams at Architectural Digest and Saveur magazines. Her content, podcast, and video programs have won more than 40 digital and editorial awards. She is a WSET Advanced-certified wine and spirits communicator, and author of the cocktail book Storied Sips (Random House), about the real-life stories behind the world’s most famous cocktails.    To learn more about Erica Duecy: https://www.instagram.com/ericaduecy/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-duecy-4a35844/ https://twitter.com/ericaduecy And if you like what you heard, help us spread the word! Follow Business of Drinks, and rate and review our episodes on any platform where you’re listening. It helps us find new listeners. Thank you

At the Business of Drinks, we’ve been talking with many founders lately about their struggles finding funding. So if you’re looking for investment — or just want to know more about how VC investors think — this episode is for you! We talk with Mike Warren, founder and managing partner of Alethia Venture Partners.  It’s a $50 million fund dedicated to investing in alcohol and non-alcohol drinks brands in their Seed, Series A, and Series B rounds, with investments ranging from $250,000 to $5 million. This episode dives into what Alethia Venture Partners is looking for as it deploys the first of its 5 planned funds. So far, Alethia has invested in brands like Kové, Maker Wine, Gay Water, Pa’lante Rum, and others. This episode is a key listen for anyone looking for funding. It gives advice not only into Alethia’s investment strategy, but also insights into the mind of a veteran CPG and drinks brand investor. Get the scoop on: - The biggest mistakes first-time founders make - Why investing in pre-revenue brands is a gamble - How VC investors size up a brand - What makes a brand attractive to VC investors - The right stage in a company’s journey to seek VC investment - How to work with Alethia Venture Partners - What the fund is looking for in the founders and brands it invests in Stay tuned for our next episode dropping on April 17.  About Erica Duecy, host: Erica Duecy is founder and host of Business of Drinks, and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies. She also has led digital editorial teams at Architectural Digest and Saveur magazines. Her content, podcast, and video programs have won more than 40 digital and editorial awards. She is a WSET Advanced-certified wine and spirits communicator, and author of the cocktail book Storied Sips (Random House), about the real-life stories behind the world’s most famous cocktails.    To learn more about Erica Duecy: https://www.instagram.com/ericaduecy/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-duecy-4a35844/ https://twitter.com/ericaduecy And if you like what you heard, help us spread the word! Follow Business of Drinks, and rate and review our episodes on any platform where you’re listening. It really does help us find new listeners. Thank you