EDITOR ' S NOTE

As the summer months draw closer , I ’ ve been getting hit with a slew of new summer-themed ready-to-drink beverages , both with and without alcohol . Of course , nothing seems more relaxing than sitting by the pool or beach with a mixed cocktail in an easy-to-open can , but at what point will liquor stores completely run out of shelf space for these drinks ? Even Lipton just came out with a hard iced tea RTD .

The saturation in this category is resulting in increasingly difficult marketing tactics . With hundreds of other companies marketing their own RTDs , how exactly are consumers supposed to choose ?

That ’ s why I think our RTD Growth Brand winners deserve a round of applause . They ’ re experiencing success at a time when practically every beverage producer is launching their own canned cocktails . As you ’ ll read in that section , I asked them about their marketing tactics and what exactly is working for their brand .

The similarities between all of the RTD winners is how creative they get with their campaigns . To truly stand out from the competition , you can ’ t do what everyone else is doing . You need to think outside the box , work with the right influencers and of course , make a delicious beverage .

Aside from RTDs , cannabis-infused beverages are also a hot topic that everyone seems to be talking about . Especially at WSWA in January . Not only did they have an entire section of the show floor dedicated to these products , but they were also hosting discussions on the topic every day .

And since these beverages are technically ready to drink with the cannabis already infused , it ’ s yet another factor that continues to boost the category .

If you ’ re tired of hearing about RTDs already , we ’ ve got plenty of other good topics to peruse through in our summer issue , including market trends for vodka , sparkling wine and rum , as well as our annual Growth Brands winners , which is the main highlight of this issue .

Enjoy the summer !

Trade Managing Editor Krystina Skibo Tel : 763-383-4419 email : kskibo @ epgacceleration . com

Editor , Off-Premise Kyle Swartz Tel : 763-383-4447 email : kswartz @ epgacceleration . com

Contributing Editors Melissa Dowling

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

Marketing and Engagement Sales Manager Jamie Boldt Tel : 763-383-4456 email : jboldt @ 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

Reprints For more information on e-prints or reprints from StateWays magazine , visit https :// https :// epgacceleration . com / engagement / and contact us today or email us at info @ epgacceleration .

Beverage Group Vice President Jeremy Nedelka Sr VP / Audience Development Joanne Juda-Prainito Corporate Operations Director Bernadette Wohlman CEO Marion Minor

BRAND ACCELERATION

Beverage Wholesaler is published by EPG Brand Acceleration Editorial and executive offices at 7760 France Ave S Suite 810 Bloomington , MN 55435 Telephone : 763-383-4400

Krystina Skibo Trade Managing Editor

4 Beverage Wholesaler • Summer 2024 www . beveragewholesaler . com