Beverage Group Vice President Jeremy Nedelka Tel : 763-383-4413 email : jnedelka @ epgacceleration . com
Editor , Off-Premise Kyle Swartz Tel : 763-383-4447 email : kswartz @ epgacceleration . com
Associate Editor Jamie Stafford 763-383-4485 email : jstafford @ epgacceleration . com
Contributing Editors Melissa Dowling
Sr Regional Sales Manager Mark Marcon Tel : 763-383-4456 email : mmarcon @ epgacceleration . com
National Account Director Debbie Rittenberg Tel : 763-383-4455 email : drittenberg @ epgacceleration . com
Associate Managing Art Director Nicole Siewert
Sales & Traffic Coordinator Kurt Eisinger Tel : 763-383-4420 email : keisinger @ epgacceleration . com
Senior Product Manager , Data & Insights Marina Velez Tel : 763-383-4453 email : mvelez @ epgacceleration . com
LIST RENTAL Kris Grauer email : kgrauer @ npsmediagroup . com Tel : 203-822-7933
REPRINTS For more information on e-prints or reprints from Beverage Dynamics magazine , visit https :// epgacceleration . com / marketing-services / and contact us today or email us at info @ epgacceleration .
Sr VP / Audience Development Joanne Juda-Prainito Corporate Operations Director Bernadette Wohlman CEO Marion Minor
RETAILER EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD |
Jess Bailes |
ABC Fine Wine & Spirits , FL |
Chuck Ferrar |
Bay Ridge Wine & Spirits , MD |
Ron Junge |
Brown Derby Stores , MO |
Charles Sonnenberg |
Frugal MacDoogal ’ s , TN |
Jason Daniels |
Half Time Beverage , NY |
Hal Gershman |
Happy Harry ’ s Bottle Shop , ND |
Ted Farrell |
Haskell ’ s , MN |
Ed Mulvihill |
Peco ’ s , DE |
Mat Dinsmore |
Wilbur ’ s , CO |
Chris Ciskey |
Yankee Wine , CT |
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY SAVED GARY ’ S WINE & MARKETPLACE .
It ’ s a story we have all heard many times ( Gary Fisch being famously gregarious ) but nevertheless one worth repeating . When Covid-19 arrived in the U . S . in 2020 , so much of the country shut down , given the rapidly expanding health crisis that we understood so little about at the time . Gary ’ s closed its doors to in-store traffic out of an abundance of safety .
Abruptly without a brick-and-mortar business , Gary ’ s shifted online . Mike Fisch , Gary ’ s Millennial-aged son , had led some ecommerce efforts pre-pandemic — including a slowly growing business app . Suddenly , these digital assets became critical for Gary ’ s survival in the new , Covid-plagued business environment . Use of the app grew exponentially . Working with City Hive , Gary ’ s built a brand-new ecommerce website overnight . The company shifted totally online .
It worked . The business survived and thrived , and then successfully reopened when it was possible to do business with greater safety in those early days of Covid . Gary ’ s won our Top 100 Retailer of the Year in 2021 , and once again captured that honor in 2022 ( see page 10 ). This success story , in the face of pandemic challenges and uncertainties , is emblematic of how the industry has changed considerably under Covid-19 . The digital transformation has been dramatic and widespread .
Ordering alcohol online has never been easier . More customers now expect the ability to purchase these items digitally , and have them shipped directly to their doors . Social media has only gone up in value . Savvy businesses now interact digitally with their fans on Facebook , Instagram and other forums , driving sales while keeping clientele updated and interested in the latest product offerings .
Technology has also greatly improved internal business operations . POS systems and B2B digital platforms continue to improve , significantly enhancing the efficiency with which stores can handle inventory , consumer analytics , staff management , product ordering , trends and research and much , much more .
That is why we have brought back our technology guide for the sixth consecutive year . Turn the supplement in this issue for a comprehensive list of the leading alcohol technology companies , plus a deep dive into the latest trends driving this industry .
Investment in the right technology now can pay enormous dividends in the years ahead . Just ask Gary Fisch , whose faith in his son and the next generation of alcohol tech allowed one of the country ’ s top independent alcohol retailers to weather a storm unlike anything previously experienced . Keep that in mind as you prepare for your own future .
BRAND ACCELERATION
Beverage Dynamics is published by EPG Brand Acceleration Editorial and executive offices at 10405 6th Ave N , Suite 210 , Minneapolis 55441 Telephone : 763-383-4400 Fax : 763-383-4499
Kyle Swartz Editor , Off-Premise
www . beveragedynamics . com June 2022 • Beverage Dynamics 5