Market Watch January - February 2016

Fifteen years ago, craft distilling was barely a blip on the radar screen. Today it’s the hottest trend in spirits. Retailers are making room for craft brands on the shelf, bars are tapping into local craft labels and mixologists are creating craft-based cocktails at a prolific rate. At the distributor tier, even the biggest players are ratcheting up their efforts in the craft spirits segment—something that would have been unthinkable five years ago. The major suppliers, meanwhile, are busy creating a craft culture of their own, either through current brands or acquisitions. The brewers started this movement, of course, years before craft distilling came to the fore. Craft beer’s growth continues to be robust, although it’s now in a more mature phase—one that includes listings in supermarkets, c-stores and on-premise…

TWE Launches Treasury Chateau & Estate…. Following Treasury Wine Estates’ (TWE) deal to acquire most of Diageo’s wine business late last year, the company is taking on U.S. import rights for a number of European brands, forming Treasury Chateau & Estate (TC&E) to handle the portfolio. The unit will handle a vast Burgundy lineup that includes Domaine Jean Grivot, Domaine Michel Niellon and Domaine de Courcel, among others, as well as Bordeaux’s Château de Carles and Château Joanin Becot, Provence’s Château Minuty and Languedoc-based Domaine Anne Gros et Jean Paul Tollot. Prosecco producer La Tordera and Spain’s Campo Eliseo and Campo Alegre are also joining the fold. “This portfolio will open new doors, giving us the ability to be present in the best accounts in the most important markets,” TWE…

In January, Southern Wine & Spirits (SWS) and Glazer’s Inc. announced an accord to join forces and create a distribution powerhouse covering 41 U.S. states, as well as Washington, D.C., Canada and the Caribbean. The deal combines Southern’s $11.8 billion in revenue with Glazer’s $3.7 billion—forming a juggernaut with over $15 billion in annual sales. The new company, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, will have roughly 20,000 employees, including a sales force of more than 12,000. It will serve over 350,000 on- and off-premise customers and distribute more than 150 million cases of wine and spirits annually. Southern Glazer’s will have a nearly 30-percent share of the U.S. spirits and wine distribution market in dollar terms. The companies’ biggest spirits suppliers in common are Diageo, Moët Hennessy, Beam Suntory and…

Off-Centered Leadership Sam Calagione, founder and president of Delaware’s Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, has penned a new guide extolling the power of collaboration in business. Offering tips for entrepreneurs and executives across all industries, “Off-Centered Leadership” details Calagione’s difficult road to success, as well as his unconventional business model that encourages leaders to build symbiotic partnerships with their competition. The eight-chapter book ($20) debuts in early February and includes interviews with luminaries within the business world, including W.L. Gore & Associates CEO Terri Kelly and Woolrich president and CEO Nick Brayton. For more information, visit Wiley.com. Thirsty Dragon Wine Spectator contributing editor Suzanne Mustacich has written a new book offering an in-depth look at China’s emergence as a global wine power. Published in November, “Thirsty Dragon” focuses on China’s relationship…

Chicago Nightspot Takes Cues From Downtown Vegas The bi-level nightlife experience Fremont opened in Chicago’s River North neighborhood in December. Named for the street in Downtown Las Vegas, Fremont boasts an eclectic dining room on its first floor and a high-energy lounge and cocktail den upstairs. The space offers a varied selection of specialty drinks and classics like the Sazerac, the Aviation and the Sidecar (cocktails are $9 to $16). Signatures include the Goldilocks, mixed with Nolet’s Silver Dry gin, Lillet Blanc aperitif, Combier Crème de Pêche de Vigne liqueur, Angostura bitters, Fever-Tree Tonic and lemon juice, served over ice with a hibiscus flower garnish, and the Netflix & Chill, a blend of Effen vodka, The Bitter Truth Xocolatl Mole bitters, house-made Ruby Port syrup and lemon juice. Fremont also…

• Beer and wine dominate at Los Angeles bar The Semi-Tropic, which opened in December in the city’s Echo Park neighborhood. The venue boasts craft and domestic beers and a few larger labels, a handful of global wines, and a menu of all-day fare, from eggs, toast and pastries to salads and sandwiches. • An ode to craft beer and artisanal spirits, Treadwell Park opened in December on New York City’s Upper East Side. The beer hall–style venue offers 20 draft beers and ciders that rotate weekly. These offerings are joined by beer floats and creative cocktails, as well as upscale bar fare like ribs, fried chicken and smoked pork nachos. • Miami’s latest nightspot, Bond Lounge, opened in November with a luxurious atmosphere. The South Beach venue highlights rare…