Wine Fast Track Brands

That trend helped the lower-alcohol Matua Lighter, launched four years ago by Treasury Wine Estates, win a Rising Star award this year.( Matua’ s core wine won a Comeback Brand as well.) Bota Box Breeze, the line of boxed wines that’ s lower in calories, carbohydrates and alcohol, also took a Rising Star.

Avaline, an organic, transparent and vegan-friendly wine brand launched in 2020 by Cameron Diaz and Katherine Power, is another Rising Star.“ We’ re seeing strong momentum in a trend we helped pioneer— consumers seeking wines they can trust to be organic, free from added sugar and transparently labeled,” says Matt Szura, Avaline ' s senior vice president of sales.

“ Shoppers increasingly prioritize clean ingredients, affordability and clarity in what they’ re drinking,” Szura notes.“ Additionally, our easy-to-understand labeling and widespread availability in grocery and mass-market retailers make Avaline a trusted, accessible choice, offering great value at or around $ 20.

Hampton Water this past fall introduced Hampton Water Bubbly, a sparkling rosé that contains fewer

FAST TRACK

▲ Signature cocktails such as the Spicy Strawberry Rosé Smash introduce new consumers to Hampton Water in a fresh, exciting way. ⊳ Music icon Jon Bon Jovi and his son Jesse Bongiovi founded Hampton Water in 2018 with French winemaker Gérard Bertrand. impulse purchases.

Additionally, single-serve sake products performed very well when cross-merchandised with ready-to-eat sushi offerings in grocery stores. One particular product saw double-digit sales growth throughout 2024, highlighting the effectiveness of this approach.

WHAT ON-PREMISE PROMOTIONS AND ACTIVATIONS OR STRATEGIES IN 2024 LED TO THE BRAND’ S INCREASED SALES? Sake in the on-premise channel is still primarily associated with Japanese and sushi restaurants. Traditionally, sake has been enjoyed as a food pairing, but it also plays a role in what we call ' mood pairing ', enhancing the overall dining experience.

To expand consumer awareness and understanding of sake beyond this traditional context, we ' ve focused on encouraging both consumers and restaurateurs to serve chilled sake in wine glasses. Tasting events and training have been instrumental in promoting this approach, helping to broaden the category ' s appeal.

HOW HAS THE LINGERING PANDEMIC AFFECTED THE BRAND, AND HOW DID YOU MEET SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THIS PAST YEAR? The pandemic significantly reshaped supply chains, and this continues to be an ongoing challenge. For instance, reliably sourcing high-quality glass bottles and caps has been an issue.

While we ' ve been successful in building redundancy into our supply chains, external factors still keep us on our toes. Quality concerns, long lead times and rising costs—

particularly for freight— have all put pressure on our bottom line, while the potential threat of tariffs also continues to affect certain areas of our business.

Inflation, which began during the pandemic— despite having somewhat slowed— continues to impact consumer behavior and choices. While sake is outperforming other categories that have struggled with reduced sales onpremise, we have seen a decline in our on-premise sales.

Despite these challenges, maintaining the strength of our supply chains and focusing on enhancing the quality and flavor of our sake to meet evolving consumer preferences has been key to retaining customers and strengthening our market position throughout this tumultuous period.

WHAT PROMOTIONS AND MARKETING PLANS DO YOU HAVE IN PLACE FOR 2025 TO BUILD ON THAT GROWTH?

Sake is a dynamic category with strong growth and an expanding consumer base. To stay ahead, we need to continuously identify and understand the trends driving consumers toward sake, while also acknowledging the barriers that prevent many from making it a regular part of their beverage lineup.

For 2025, we plan to engage directly with consumers to better understand their expectations— not just regarding the taste and profile of their preferred sake, but also what they seek from the brands they choose.

I’ m excited to leverage these insights to refine our portfolio and marketing strategies, ultimately positioning ourselves as a brand that truly resonates with consumers ' needs.— MD

www. stateways. com Summer 2025 • StateWays 35