So much of this issue is dedicated to our 2023 Top 100 Retailers and Beverage Alcohol Retailers Conference ( BARC ) that I wanted to write about another conference I recently attended . That is : The 86th Annual Conference National Alcohol Beverage Control Association Conference in Kissimmee , FL .

NABCA represents control jurisdictions , where government commissions run much if not all of the beverage alcohol retail industry . Regulators in this model ( which we cover in our sister publication , StateWays ) obviously attract much attention from beverage alcohol companies . These government officials decide what gets sold in their areas of operation — including massive markets like Pennsylvania , Virginia , Oregon and Ohio .

Two enormous vendor halls at NABCA Annual ’ 23 were packed with countless brands looking to pour product for control state officials . Which brings me to the buried lede : the tequila boom was very much present . I have never seen so many different tequila brands at one of these conferences .

Obviously this category is spiking . Sales of tequila and mezcal together grew 17 % in the U . S . in 2022 , according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States . By comparison , the much-hyped American whiskey category was up “ only ” 10.5 % last year .

I honestly do not know how many tequila brands I sampled in Kissimmee . Somewhere in the high-teens , I lost count . But taking stock of the category ( it ’ s tough work , being in booze media ) I was greatly impressed by the overall quality of the products . Truly , I do not think I tasted a subpar agave spirit among the many , many , many that passed through my lips .

Including multiple celebrity-owned brands . Teremana Tequila , from Dwayne “ The Rock ” Johnson , was delicious . As was Kendall Jenner ’ s 818 Tequila , and LeBron James ’ Lobos 1707 range of tequilas and mezcal .

To the latter : When Lobos 1707 first launched in 2020 , I received media samples , and thought the product was terrible . Thin and industrial , dumped into fancy packaging and rushed onto the shelf for a quick buck . I dismissed Lobos 1707 as soon to fail , and the emerging celebrity alcohol trend as a temporary fad .

Wrong and wrong . Last year at a different conference , I gave Lobos 1707 another shot , and was shocked at the vast improvement in quality . And I have now tried numerous celebrity brands ( including Bruno Mars ’ wonderfully drinkable flavored rum , SelvaRey ) that tasted fantastic .

Lessons learned . The depth and consistency of the tequila category has never been better , and celebrities are putting out excellent alcohol products that attract fandom for more than just a famous founder . Two signs at NABCA Annual ’ 23 of an ever-evolving industry , where trends may come and go , but quality remains king .

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

Contributing Editors Melissa Dowling , Marnie Old , Tom Shay , Jamie Stafford

National Account Director Debbie Rittenberg Tel : 763-383-4455 email : drittenberg @ epgacceleration . com

Associate Managing Art Director Nicole Siewert

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

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4 Beverage Dynamics • June 2023 www . beveragedynamics . com