Telinani Valley Taps Benson for U.S. Marketing

Posted on July 21, 2022 by Joel Whitaker

Teliani Valley, Georgia’s top-producing winery and the No. 1 Georgia winery in terms of sales int he U.S., has signed Benson Marketing Group to boost its U.S. sales further.  Georgian Wine House is its importer in Washington, D.C. 

The U.S. is Teliani’s largest western market with a presence in 23 states. It has the longest tenure of any Georgian wine company on the American market. According to data from the American Association of Wine Economists, U.S. imports of wine from Georgia jumped nearly threefold in 2019, when measured in total dollar amounts. The category continues to increase in 2022.

Teliani’s core products in the US are the Teliani Saperavi, Teliani Amber Blend, Glekhuri (traditional Georgian Winemaking Technique in Qvevri) and Teliani Tsolikouri.

Georgian Wine House is its importer in Washington, D.C. 

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What We’re Reading —

Posted on July 21, 2022 by Joel Whitaker

Here’s Jay-Z’s Perspective on Selling Half of Champagne Brand to LVMH: ‘It Was a Beautiful Marriage’

How One Brooklyn Distiller Uses Craft Beer to Create a More Sustainable Whiskey

Arcane Distilling releases Alpha, which it made using a triple IPA.

 

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BuzzBox Adds Production Capacity to Offer Co-Pack Capability

Posted on July 20, 2022 by Joel Whitaker

BuzzBox premium cocktails said it expanded its production capabilities to offer wine and malt-based beverage companies the only alcohol-licensed co-manufacturing facility in North America offering Tetra Prisma Aseptic 200 mL and 250 mL cartons with plant-based, resealable DreamCap as well as in-line 4-pack and 6-pack production.

The 65,000-square-foot facility opened in April 2021.   includes a new automated cross-flow membrane filter system that delivers longer filtration, improves production, and significantly reduces production costs and environmental impact. After six months, the zero-waste production system in the heart of the Coachella Valley has provided sizable environmental value including saving over 100,000 gallons of water and emitting 80% less emissions than a standard plant of similar size.

“This new format gives wineries and malt-based new options when taking a product to market. Prior to our BuzzBox expansion, the Tetra Prisma Aseptic 200mL and 250mL sizes with resealable DreamCap  had not been available to alcohol-based beverages in North America,” said Bob Lienhard, vp-strategic partnerships.

Tetra Pak cartons offer a packaging solution for brands seeking an environmentally conscious alternative to glass, plastic bottles and aluminum cans.  Tetra Pak cartons are primarily plant-based, which allows for a move away from traditional fossil-based materials, minimizing the carton’s carbon footprint and environmental impact.

Additionally, cartons are shipped for filling as large rolls of flat packaging material for maximum efficiency in transportation and distribution. Finally, once a product has been enjoyed, Tetra Pak cartons are recyclable and contribute to the development of new products made from recycled cartons, like writing paper, tissues and sustainable building material.

 

“Building our own sustainable facility for the production of BuzzBox premium cocktails was always part of the plan,” said Rod Vandenbos, BuzzBox founder/CEO.  “As a purpose-built company, our vision includes sharing our innovative technology with other beverage categories striving to deliver sustainable solutions that today’s consumers demand.”

Besides the unique capabilities of producing alcoholic beverages in Tetra Prisma Aseptic 200ml and 250ml cartons with the resealable DreamCap closure, the company recently added a new automated cross-flow membrane filter system that delivers longer filtration, improves production, and significantly reduces production costs and environmental impact.  “With this announcement, we are welcoming the wine and malt-based beer industries into our facility as we expand our ability to provide a packaging approach with a number of sustainable benefits,” added Vandenbos.

 

“BuzzBox has been a leading example of sustainable packaging solutions in the spirits category and continues to innovate with us to deliver quality products to their consumers,” explained Pedro Goncalves, vp-Marketing for Tetra Pak U.S. and Canada. “Our packaging not only supports buzzbox’s efforts to protect the environment, but also protects the premium ingredients in buzzbox cocktails better than anyone else. You’re not going to get something that benefits the environment and tastes this good in a bottle or in a can!”

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U.S. Chamber Assails Biden Admin Plan to ‘Fix’ Beer Market

Posted on July 20, 2022 by Joel Whitaker

Tim Wu, a White House Special Assistant for Technology and Competition Policy, has been traveling the country lately extolling the virtues of craft beer.  Nothing wrong with that, per se, except that Wu says small breweries represent a “return to American tradition prior to mass production” and “those are the things we want the entire rest of the economy to look like.”

That attracted the attention of Sean Heather, senior vp-international regulatory affairs and antitrust at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.  Does Wu “propose handcrafted cars and tailor-made airplanes?”  Heather writes in a blog post, adding: “There is no doubt that consumers benefit from a variety of choices and price points, but consumers also benefit from the types of low prices and national consistency that comes from scaled production.

“‘We don’t want our federal enforcers” to go after “small technical violations,’ he said. ‘We want them to take on the big cases against the entities that have market power’ and the ability ‘to make big arrangements that have large anti-competitive effects.’ Stadium deals of particular interest, he suggested…But in process, he suggested that small-scale pay-to-play — like a craft brewer buying a tap handle at the local bar — would not trigger enforcement,” Heather said.

“Viewed most charitably, one might agree that regulators should use their limited resources to tackle the most serious violations of law, but it is truly bizarre for a senior White House official to suggest that certain violations of the law should not be enforced. The law should apply across the board to players of any size,” U.S. Chamb er’s Heather noted.

 

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New Luxury Wine Brand, Juliet, Launches

Posted on July 20, 2022 by Joel Whitaker

The wine is housed in a first-to-market cylindrical container deemed the “Eco-Magnum”, which holds two standard bottles of wine (1.5L). Developed by female entrepreneurs with women in mind, Juliet is intended to deliver an elevated day-to-day experience for discerning wine drinkers who prioritize sustainability.  It’s available online and in New York, California and Florida.  SRP: $45.99.

“We recognized the unmet need for a sustainable wine that didn’t sacrifice on quality, taste, or design. Boxed wine offered an eco-friendly packaging solution but hadn’t yet reached its full potential, so we took the opportunity to innovate the category with an elevated aesthetic and truly superior wine,” said Lauren De Niro Pipher, Co-Founder and Co-CEO.

From winemaking practices to packaging, sustainability is at the core of Juliet’s mission that paves the way for mindful consumption. The wines are made in a facility that is certified by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) and packaging is crafted with recycled materials to set the stage for real environmental impact. Juliet is also pioneering the first at-home wine refill system in the U.S. where customers can reuse the paper containers and reorder just the inner wine pouches at a discount.

The Eco-magnum is multi-faceted and developed for convenience with superior design. The large format stays fresh for up to 6 weeks after opening and the proprietary, glass-free design with handle is ideal for on-the-go occasions, picnics, the beach, or at home fitting nicely on a refrigerator shelf. The airtight spout provides an “on tap” experience wherever you are, making Juliet a portable and durable choice for day-to-day drinking occasions.

“When we discovered that boxed wine presents an 84% lower carbon footprint compared to wine in conventional glass bottles, we were inspired to act. Juliet is here to reshape consumers’ perspectives on boxed wine with a luxury product that not only shifts the culture of wine drinking but sets a new standard for sustainability in the industry,” said Allison Luvera, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Juliet.

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California Mulls Adding Deposit to Wine, Spirit Bottles

Posted on July 20, 2022 by Joel Whitaker

The deposit would be 10 cents a bottle.  Consumers can get their dime back if they return their bottle.  According to the Center for Environmental Studies at San Jose State University, California’s container recycling rate is 75%.

The deposit tax would include all 1.3 million alcohol containers — glass and plastic bottles, aluminum and boxes.  Supporters say less than one-third of wine and spirits bottles are recycled.  The measure is backed by the Wine Institute, which says it is the fastest way to “achieve our recycling goals.”  Government officials are interested in the idea not only for whatever environmental benefits there may be, be also because of the additional revenue it may generate for the state.

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