Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast

Man the guns! Batten down the hatches! The wine industry is under assault from all sides. Executives have to balance discipline in the face of further declines and innovation to capitalize on growth, should growth eventually return to the battered wine business. Two leaders from The Wine Group, John Sutton, CEO, and Jen Evans, CFO, join us for a broad discussion about the state of the wine industr...

We invited Cyrille Fillot and Tom Bailey from our sister podcast, Consumer Foods to Go, to explore how companies from myriad industries have successfully navigated a downturn in hopes of uncovering some inspiration for the struggling beverage alcohol industry.  To hear more from Cyrille and Tom, check out their podcast: Consumer Foods to Go Have a question, qualm, or story to tell? Reach out via e...

Timely, acerbic, well sourced, and astonishingly funny, Dave Infante and his unmissable newsletter, Fingers, has emerged as the punchiest voice in drinks journalism. Last year, he broke the news of RNDC's exit from California. In this episode, we step back to discuss the trade coverage ecosystem, the tension between corporate talking points and uncomfortable truths, and the importance of supportin...

In what is easily one of the most candid conversations we've had in years, Joe Davis and Michael Corrigan from KEG 1 and K1 Management Services discuss the impact of Sazerac's move into beer networks, the future of contract negotiations and margins for wine and spirit brands, the risks of a bloated portfolio to the beer wholesaler playbook, and the very difficult path ahead for mature, small, and...

In the first of two episodes featuring Joe Davis and Michael Corrigan, we discuss the history of KEG 1 and the formation of K1 Management Services and the work they have done to become a massive multistate operator. We focus heavily on the dynamics of M&A in US beer wholesale and the role consolidation is having on culture, diversification, and management.   Have a question, qualm, or story to tel...

We catch up with Mark Chaplin (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits President, Commercial Sales) and Devyn Dugger (Senior Vice President, NY Beer Division) to discuss their recent beer-business-buying binge, focusing on the changes that they are bringing to the beer business and how they are bringing best practices from the beer business into their broader wine and spirits operations. Have a question,...

New drinks aplenty and trends always changing. Exploring culture, with the drinks we are raising. Asking a stranger, "Why did you order that thing?" These are a few of my favorite [drink] things. Friends at a conference with gossip worth sharing. Newsletters, dailies, and podcasts worth airing. Together let's ask what all of these numbers mean. These are a few of my favorite [drink] things. For th...

Sarah Barrett, Managing Editor at Wine & Spirits Daily, and Chris Shepard, Senior Editor at Beer Marketer's Insights, join us to debate the most impactful stories of the year so far.   Have a question, qualm, or story to tell? Reach out via email: Bourcard. Nesin@Rabobank.com Sign up to access our written research: RaboResearch sign-up   Note: The content and opinions presented within this podcast...

For more than a year, alcohol sales in the on-premise (restaurants, bars, stadiums, and hotels) have outperformed sales in the off-premise (grocery, convenience, and liquor stores). On the surface, this trend contradicts many of our explanations for the industry's struggles. If people are broke, why are they spending money in the channel where alcohol costs the most? If people are spending more ti...

Around 25% of US spirits sales move through control states, but how do they work? How are they different from open states, and what can suppliers do to improve their performance in these markets? In this episode we speak to leadership at the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA) about how government-run liquor businesses operate and what brands can do to better position themselves...

US inflation in April reached its highest level in three years, driven in part by the war in Iran. The volume of oil flows affected by the conflict is three times larger than the disruption caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, yet many firms – especially in the US – don't seem too concerned. According to our analysts, they should be. Join us for an enlightening, if not light-hearted, discuss...

This week, we review the pleasantly robust results from global beer companies during the first quarter of 2026. More importantly, we bid adieu to a dear friend and longtime contributor, Francois Sonneville.  For those wanting to thank Francois for years of fantastic industry coverage, please reach out: FSonneville@yahoo.co.uk .  We discuss individual company results at the following timestamps:  H...

Wine supplies continue to outstrip demand. Glenn Proctor of Ciatti and Jeff Bitter of Allied Grape Growers return to discuss the larger-than-(some)-expected 2025 California grape crush, the path to equilibrium in wine supply, and whether the costs of domestic production and competition from imports mean that every acre of wine grapes pulled out of production will never come back.  Topics covered i...

In late March, Brown-Forman Corporation and Pernod Ricard confirmed they were in talks about a potential merger that would bring together giant brands like Jack Daniels, Herradura, Woodford Reserve, Jameson, Beefeater, Absolut, and Chivas Regal. It would be a formidable lineup, which in terms of spirits sales would rival the scale of Diageo – long the largest spirits business in the history of the...

Many investors have abandoned the world of early-stage alcohol startups, leaving a gaping hole in the market. There is less money available to fuel startup growth, and potential buyers are demanding both scale and profitability, extending the time to achieve an exit and reshaping the optimal strategy for building a brand. Over the last five years, Jason Sherman (Top Shelf) and Nick Papanicolaou (N...

From 1970 to 1995, US per capita spirits consumption fell by nearly 50%. Yet some players, like Heaven Hill, emerged stronger and more diversified than when the downturn began. In this episode, Heaven Hill Chairman Max Shapira and President Kate Latts reflect on the company's 90‑year journey, offering first-person accounts of beverage alcohol's last major downturn, the subsequent revival in demand...

Fresh from their rather somber state-of-the-industry presentation, SipSource analysts Danny Brager and Dale Stratton help identify whether there are any areas of growth and promise in the wine and spirits business. Topics include:  The performance of wine and spirits depletions in 2025 and the outlook for 2026. The surprising resilience of RTD growth rates. Prosecco's continuing strong performance...

Oliver Winery is one of the largest wine businesses in the United States. It is located in Indiana. In this episode, CEO Pat Brown shares how the unusual origins of the business have helped the company capture consumers who would otherwise be overlooked by the wine business, as well as the advantages of operating a winery outside the West Coast.    Have a question, qualm or story to tell, reach ou...

Danny Wirtz, Co-Chairman of Breakthru Beverage Group, discusses how brands are rethinking national agreements and what success looks like when performance, not footprint, are the primary concern for suppliers' route-to-market strategy. Themes from the episode: How did Breakthru shift strategy after a planned merger with Republic National Distributing Company was terminated in 2019? What does geogr...

We caught up with Francis Creighton, President and CEO of Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, on the floor at this year's Access Live conference in Las Vegas. In addition to helping its members navigate a very difficult business environment, the lobbying group representing US wine and spirits wholesalers in the US has a full advocacy agenda. Francis quickly brings us up to date on its legislati...

The team from Beer Business Daily and Beernet Radio offer candid coverage of the tumult and upheaval in the US beer wholesaler business.  In this episode, we touch on the following topics:  How are big brands (AB InBev, Molson Coors, Constellation Brands) applying pressure differently to their wholesaler networks? What is the outlook for hemp beverages (né marijuana edibles)? Will they be legal in...

Economics power duo Jane Foley and Christian Lawrence return to discuss the first 12 months of the Trump administration and the 2026 outlook for economies in the US and Europe. As always, the conversation is far-reaching, touching on:  The AI boom and its impact on business operations and economic growth. Inflation and the legacy of higher food, housing, and healthcare prices. Interest rates, curr...

In this episode, we're joined by analyst Francois Sonneville and relationship manager Jonathan Magel to discuss the biggest news stories from the past 30 days, including: The US issues new dietary guidelines for alcohol consumption. Will it impact consumption or regulatory pressure? The CEO of Heineken will be stepping down later this year. Virtually every major alcohol business has seen executive...

The end of 2025 marks the end of an era. Our dear friend and cohost Jim Watson returns for one last episode. We celebrate 10 years of ingenious, unparalleled drinks industry coverage with a very special episode, discussing the biggest story from each year of the past decade. And if you've appreciated Jim's work over 125+ episodes of this show, you should thank him directly at: JCWatson334@gmail.co...

Special guest Richard Withagen (Equity Analyst at Kepler Cheuvreux) joins us as we review the latest earnings results from the spirits industry (Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Brown-Forman, Campari, Rémy Cointreau, and Becle). Alongside individual company results, we discuss the broader impact of regulation on spirits sales, how long a transitory/cyclical downturn can be before it is considered structural...