GROWTH BRANDS

pack design , new campaign and new liquid inside the bottle . The new Jim Beam Black is aged for seven years , the perfect amount of time to bring out notes of caramel , vanilla and oak .

We also have two LTOs for Jim Beam : Jim Beam Sunshine Blend , which is a milder taste is a great option for mixing refreshing cocktails , and Jim Beam Winter Reserve , with notes of vanilla , clove and cinnamon , really perfect for those warming winter drinks – both coming later this year .

Continuing with the bourbon theme , we rereleased the Basil Hayden Subtle Smoke LTO , which has a unique smoky flavor paired with a high-rye mash bill . We ’ re introducing two Baker ’ s LTOs this year as well : a high rye LTO and a Baker ’ s 13 year .

We ’ re also continuing to innovate in our RTD portfolio : On The Rocks introduced the Strawberry Daiquiri as a permanent expression this year , as well as a Blue Hawaiian LTO for summer . We ’ ve brought −196 , a vodka seltzer that freezes and crushes whole fruit before infusing it into the drink , into new markets and launched a variety pack that includes lemon , peach and grapefruit flavors . −196 is the # 1 selling RTD in Japan , and we ’ re excited to bring it to more U . S . consumers .

Tom Steffanci , president , Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits by KRYSTINA SKIBO

Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits ’ president Tom Steffanci shared the company ’ s success strategies over the past year .

BIG : WHAT LED TO DEUTSCH FAMILY WINE & SPIRITS ’ SUCCESS OVER THE PAST YEAR ? TOM STEFFANCI : While we are growing share and having success on several brands , we are not as far along as we hoped to be on other brands . The success we are having is a function of the right commercial plans and tactics executed with excellence , combined with excellent consumer marketing focused on building awareness and advocacy with our target consumers . We have forward-invested significantly in many brands , including The Crossings , Josh Cellars Reserve , Josh Prosecco and Yellow Tail Pure Bright .

BIG : WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOUR COMPANY HAVE TO OVERCOME ? TS : The environment is very difficult and wine is declining in both value and volume . Consumers are less experimental and retailers are less open to expanding offerings . We have had to hone our storytelling , get better at account targeting , capture

4

the right wine-by-the-glass opportunities and support our brands with carefully targeted consumer marketing .

We have an outstanding network of the best distributors in the country and built our plans in collaboration with them . We work arm and arm with them in executing the plans .

BIG : WHAT ACTIVATIONS OR PROGRAMS

WERE MOST HELPFUL IN GROWING THE CROSSINGS , JOSH CELLARS RESERVE AND PROSECCO , AND YELLOW TAIL PURE BRIGHT ? TS : The Crossings has invested in new , eye-catching in-store display point of sale to reinforce the brand ’ s coastal positioning in the off-premise . We are also running an aerial advertising campaign along shorelines in key markets to help transport consumers into a vacation mindset and drive brand awareness . The Crossings also executed experiential sampling activations at key food and wine events to further encourage in-store purchase in target markets .

Increasing marketing investment during key sales periods helped contribute to growth for Josh Cellars Reserve . Reserve has its own outstanding advertising , as well as a different look and feel from base Josh . In November and December , we promoted the ' Reserved For Gifting ' shopper solution program in the off-premise .

Josh Prosecco ran an in-store cocktail solution , developing approachable cocktail recipes to help drive display during the spring , and is driving trial with 21− to 34−year-old consumers .

26 StateWays • Fall 2024 www . stateways . com