Trade News

→ Heidelberg was cited as the eighth largest wine and spirit distributor in the U.S. at a recent Distilled Spirits Council conference. The top 10 wholesalers represent more than 70% of the U.S. wine and spirits sales despite a whopping 33% jump in the number of wholesalers in the country (currently 30,000 licensed permits). It also was noted that Ohio is one of four Control States that represent about 23% of total U.S. spirits, offering suppliers “ease of entry” and strong opportunities for growth. The other three Control States mentioned are Michigan, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

→Will shoppers’ habits change after the COVID-19 pandemic? Nielsen researchers already are studying global shifts, which they describe as six behavioral “thresholds:”
(1) Proactive health – buying products that support overall health
(2) Reactive health management – buying items such as face masks
(3) Pantry preparation – buying shelf-stable items
(4) Quarantined living preparation – increased on-line shopping and stores experiencing out-of-stocks
(5) Restricted living – many fewer shopping trips and possible higher prices
(6) Living a new normal – return to daily routines with a renewed cautiousness about health and hygiene practices and products.
Nielsen is focused on understanding which of these shifts will stay with us after the outbreak is behind us.

→CraftBeer.com, an online publication produced by the Brewers Association, recently released its list of the “2019 Best Beer Bars in America.” In Ohio, the winner was Brewfontaine in Bellefontaine. In Kentucky, the winner was the Holy Grale in Louisville. The list of bars from each state also was published in Food & Wine magazine. Winning bars were nominated by readers.