NABCA ’ S ADVISORY COMMITTEE
STEVE FELLER
Chief Sales Officer , North America Heaven Hill Brands
THE POWER OF THE PAST : AN INFLECTION POINT If there were one constant that we can unequivocally agree upon , it might be that the past informs the future . One could argue that the beginning of the pandemic , along with the lockdowns and restrictions placed upon consumers and the larger market , represented a significant inflection point for the industry . This inflection point was in direct response to the ongoing dynamic and fluctuating marketplace that was constantly shifting and was driven by a myriad of reasons : accessibility , consumer preferences , legal ramifications and , perhaps most significantly , safety concerns . Consumers were accessing and purchasing spirits in new ways , and their preferences were shaped in part by availability and ease-ofaccess among other considerations .
This rapid and dynamic progression also brought a variety of challenges with it , along with a need to strike a delicate balance for beverage alcohol suppliers , member jurisdictions and businesses alike , both on- and off-premise . The industry as a whole had to adopt a unified and collective , flexible framework to address these unique developments , and continue to quickly respond to developing opportunities and challenges alike .
As one of the largest suppliers to the control markets , Heaven Hill recognizes the critical role that NABCA plays , and we salute their ongoing commitment to building a responsible and level playing field in their markets , including support , partnership and advocacy for small and medium-sized spirits companies as well . These companies were perhaps the ones most heavily impacted by the challenges of the past three years .
The one constant throughout this challenging time has been that NABCA and the Industry Advisory Committee continue to focus on the areas that are critically important to the industry overall . Among other areas , it ’ s a commitment to responsibility to maintain industry standards , to responsibly market to our consumers and respond accordingly , and to focus on continued education in the area of consumption of our products , especially for the most vulnerable populations . This vital platform for advocacy and education can also help raise awareness about the importance of sustainability within the industry . As we begin to put in place measures that ensure our practices are in line with our commitment to environmental stewardship , we can collaborate with other industry leaders to develop sustainable practices that will benefit the spirits industry as a whole . At Heaven Hill , we take this mission very seriously . We are committed to upholding the highest standards of quality and sustainability in our products , and processes to ensure that we are doing our part to protect the environment today and for the future .
TONY CLARK
Director of Sales E . & J . Gallo Winery I am delighted to continue to represent E . & J . Gallo Winery on NABCA ’ s Industry Advisory Committee , and to serve as the committee ’ s Vice Chair . We at Gallo are excited to be able to work closely with the NABCA organization , control state staff , and our broker partners to responsibly grow the sale of our products . Throughout the past several years , we ’ ve learned so much about doing business in the control state , and we are very proud of the success we have had . We are even more optimistic , however , about what ’ s yet to come .
This is why Chairman Holden ’ s Theme , “ Powers of the Past , Forces of the Future ,” is so relevant to where we are right now . We have long been a world-class producer of wines and spirits , and we have continued to innovate our portfolio based on the changing needs of our consumers . A few categories where we have innovated this year are the bourbon category , the luxury tequila category , and the hard seltzer category . Here are three of the newest brands to our spirits lineup :
Horse Soldier Bourbon Whiskey is authentic , award winning and all American . Horse Soldier was founded by a group of friends who banded together after years of service to our great nation . Tequila Komos scored the highest ratings ever from The Tasting Panel , including the first perfect 100-point score ever given to a tequila . High Noon Tequila capitalizes on three spirits trends : 1 .) Premiumization in the hard seltzer category ; 2 .) Tequila is the fastest growing spirits category ; and 3 .) The RTD segment keeps experiencing explosive growth !
Each of these brands are a very-welcome addition to our portfolio , and we will continue to build and develop them in the control state in 2023 and beyond .
I also wanted to give one additional update . Last Fall , we celebrated the opening of a new facility in Chester County , South Carolina that will support our future growth . This state-of-the-art facility will serve as both a production operation and distribution center for our products . We will be better prepared for the future with elevated production levels and better port access through Charleston and Savannah ports . The investments we ’ ve made in recent years in our portfolio and our facilities will put us in a strong position to better serve you .
At Gallo , we like to say that “ We serve joy .” We appreciate the ability to serve that joy within the control state marketplace , and we look forward to many great years ahead . Thank you for your partnership . Cheers !
8 StateWays | www . stateways . com | Summer 2023