Brad Casper

"The number one thing you need with any distributor partnership is for someone at that distributor to be in love with your brand, whether it's a one-man band or a thousand-person organization." Elwyn Gladstone of Biggar & Leith kindly shared this gem and more on the latest episode of Business of Drinks. Gladstone is a seasoned industry vet, having worked at William Grant & Sons and Pernod Ricard before building Malfy Gin (which was sold to Pernod Ricard in 2019). His latest venture, Shanky's Whip, is now selling 100,000 cases annually across 60+ countries with a team of less than 6 people. Three key insights from our discussion: 1. Your idea and packaging must be exceptional - good is not enough. Someone needs to be able to spot it and identify it from across the room. "New brands have to have a major point of difference... Their kind of differentiation freaks people out." 2. A small, passionate team can outperform large organizations. "I think you need really smart people, and you need people that love the brand, and you need to be highly organized and create systems that allow you to do it that way." 3. Don't waste time trying to fix markets that aren't working - go where the momentum is. 👉 For more, listen now: Link in comments #BusinessOfDrinks #SpiritsIndustry #BrandBuilding #DrinksBusiness #RTD #Whiskey #Gin #AlcoholMarketing #BeverageStartups Caroline Lamb Erica Duecy

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Here's a recap of what happened in the alcohol industry this week: 1. Diageo cuts $500M and will divest non-core assets 2. Doom scrolling, not wellness, could be tanking alcohol sales 3. Warren Buffet doubles down on Constellation Brands & Modelo 4. Avaline Wine signs a major distribution deal with SWGS 5. Trumps threatens 50% tariffs on EU, LVMH, Pernod Ricard, Diageo at risk (To stay up-to-date every day on what's going on in the alcohol industry, considering signing up for my daily newsletter - the first 30 days are free to try! - thealcoholreport.com)

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NextFoods, Inc. ,Parents of GoodBelly+ Cheribundi just raised $10M led by ECP Growth If you build in functional CPG, this is a great mini case study in how growth actually gets funded and what operators should pay attention to. 1) Doors matter… but turns are the business They’re reportedly sitting at 24,000+ points of distribution nationwide and grew footprint about 10% in the last two months. That’s solid. But here’s the real lesson: door growth only works if velocity shows up. 2) A brand refresh can be a revenue lever (when it creates clarity) GoodBelly’s recent packaging/brand refresh was tied to a reported 40%+ lift in retail velocities. “Brand” isn’t colors and fonts it’s speed of understanding at shelf. If a shopper gets it faster, conversion goes up. Period. 3) The shot category is crowded so specificity wins GoodBelly reformulated its 2oz Wellness Shots and launched them nationally at Whole Foods. The formula callout that jumped out to me: 3g of prebiotic fiber. The lesson: in crowded formats, you can’t be “general wellness.” You need to own a job (gut, sleep, recovery) and build your product + messaging around that single outcome. 4) Innovation + retail expansion is the 1–2 punch They’re aiming that capital at innovation across gut health, recovery, and sleep, while also pushing deeper into national retail. And there’s more in the pipeline: they’ve previewed a quart-sized GoodBelly item with 11g plant-based protein targeted for Q1 2026. My founder takeaway: capital doesn’t fix a business it amplifies it. If your positioning is crisp and your product delivers, funding helps you scale faster. If not, it just helps you burn faster. If you were deploying $10M in functional CPG heading into 2026, what’s first: velocity, innovation, or sharper positioning? #CPG #FunctionalBeverages #Wellness #TrevorHague

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On this week's CPG Vibes we featured HiTouch Libations DSD and the executive team: Czar Daniolco, James Boyer, and Matthew Antonacci. In this clip from the show, James talks about how they are distributing fast moving products and what consumers are looking for on a daily basis

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With recent changes in the market, it’s a great time to reassess. We’ve outlined 5 key things every supplier should consider when evaluating new distribution options—from margin transparency to operational support. https://lnkd.in/ge56Gv6w

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Reposting this because it reflects a reality many producers are actively navigating right now. What stands out here isn’t just operational clarity, it’s mindset. Consolidation, exits, and portfolio reshuffling in the middle tier are no longer edge cases. They’re part of the operating environment. The risk isn’t change itself. It’s reacting to movement without asking whether it actually improves results. Platforms built for flexibility and durability matter in moments like this, not because they replace relationships, but because they give producers options. And options matter when assumptions no longer hold. The questions worth asking right now are simple: -Does my route to market still match how I want to grow? - Where am I earning attention versus assuming it? - What is actually advancing depletion and pull-through? No one has all the answers yet. But clarity of mission, adaptability, and accountability are what separate momentum from motion. Change is here. Discipline is how you respond to it. #WineIndustry #SpiritsIndustry #Distribution #RouteToMarket #BrandStrategy #EarnedAttention #ExecutionMatters

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The premium cigar landscape is evolving, and cigar lounges across the country are feeling the impact. Once dominated by legacy brands and large distributors, the market is now being reshaped by boutique cigar companies that bring authenticity, exclusivity, and stronger profit potential to retail partners. For lounge owners focused on growth and retention, boutique cigars are no longer optional. They are essential. Today’s cigar consumer is more informed and adventurous than ever. Aficionados seek unique blends, compelling brand stories, and limited production cigars that offer an experience beyond the ordinary. Boutique brands meet this demand through small batch craftsmanship, innovative flavor profiles, and a sense of discovery that keeps customers engaged. Unlike mass produced cigars, boutique offerings create conversation. Customers ask for them by name, return to purchase again, and bring friends to try them. This behavior increases foot traffic and repeat visits, the lifeblood of a successful lounge. Higher Margins and Faster Turnover Boutique cigars often provide stronger margins than large corporate brands. Without heavy marketing overhead, boutique companies can offer competitive wholesale pricing while maintaining premium retail value. This creates a powerful revenue dynamic. Lounges earn more per stick while benefiting from faster turnover. When customers perceive a cigar as exclusive or hard to find, they are more likely to purchase immediately, improving sales velocity and humidor performance. The Power of Brand Story One of the greatest advantages boutique brands bring to lounges is story driven marketing. Customers do not just buy cigars. They buy into the narrative behind them. Drunk Chicken Cigars exemplifies this advantage. As a woman owned boutique brand founded by Desiree Sylver, the company stands out in a traditionally male dominated industry. Its bold identity, memorable name, and commitment to quality create a strong emotional connection with consumers. Lounge owners benefit from this built in conversation starter, encouraging engagement and loyalty. Demand That Starts Before the Lounge Boutique brands like Drunk Chicken Cigars generate consumer demand before customers enter the lounge. Through social media, influencer partnerships, and owner led messaging, the brand encourages smokers to request Drunk Chicken Cigars at their local lounges. The lounges that thrive today are those that embrace change. Boutique cigars represent a shift toward experiential retail, higher margins, and customer driven demand. By partnering with brands like Drunk Chicken Cigars, lounge owners gain access to products customers seek, stories that spark engagement, and revenue opportunities that extend beyond the humidor. In a competitive market, differentiation is everything. Boutique cigars deliver that differentiation and are proving to be the key to sustained growth and profitability.

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Cannabis Media Council is dedicated to guiding media companies as they explore opportunities to advertise our amazing products. All operators know that every time we work with a fresh to the industry partner, it's a steep and costly learning curve. CMC seeks to tip the spear in advancing our industry to the sophomore round with advertisers. We're excited to offer Cannabis Media Council's FULL SPECTRUM: Guidelines for Responsible Cannabis Advertising — developed in collaboration with industry pioneers and trailblazers. Forever in awe of my partner Amy Deneson, for leading our third annual edition of this initiative. This comprehensive resource is available for FREE DOWNLOAD, see the link in comments. #cannabis #advertising #mediaaccess

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Franchising doesn’t always accelerate growth. Sometimes, it accelerates decline… I’ve seen brands franchise too early, not because the model was ready, but because expansion felt urgent. Franchising works when incentives are aligned. When operators win only if the brand wins. When standards are protected even when it’s inconvenient. When that alignment is missing, things start to slip. Franchisees chase short-term cash flow. Head office chases footprint. And no one is fully accountable for the long-term brand. Oversight weakens. Standards become “guidelines.” And consistency turns into negotiation. At first, it looks like growth. More locations. More visibility. More noise. But underneath, durability erodes. Unit economics get stretched. Training becomes lighter. Decisions get pushed to whoever is loudest, not closest to the truth. That’s when brand equity starts paying the price. The hard truth is this: Franchising doesn’t fix a weak model. It multiplies it. Because in F&B, franchising isn’t a shortcut to growth. It’s a stress test. And if you fail it early, you don’t just slow down. You decline faster than you ever grew.

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Misinformation about HPAI is everywhere—and it’s putting the poultry industry at risk. Many consumers think they understand the issue, but most don’t grasp the facts. Without clear, coordinated communication from both brands and the broader industry, trust in the safety of chicken could erode. I’m looking forward to sharing our latest research and joining the conversation with Brian and Brian about how poultry manufacturers can come together to inform the public and protect the future of the category.

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When it comes to capital strategy in the cannabis industry, strategic investors are not simply seeking “exposure” to the sector. Instead, their focus is on acquiring specific capabilities—such as compliant supply chains, consistent quality standards, route-to-market leverage, and brands with the potential to expand across markets. In cannabis, the true test of strategy occurs after the deal closes. Integration challenges can arise due to state-by-state fragmentation, quality assurance failure modes, channel conflicts, and concerns about whether the operating system can scale without jeopardizing compliance or the brand itself. Three primary capital strategies are emerging within the industry: * Asset-heavy vertical integration * Pure brand licensing * Hybrid infrastructure platforms Each of these strategies has inherent strengths. Asset-Heavy Vertical Integration Asset-heavy vertical integration is a strategic approach centered on control and synergies across inputs, manufacturing, and distribution. However, this model concentrates regulatory and execution risks, and its effectiveness depends on maintaining a fully utilized footprint and a replicable playbook across different markets. Brand Licensing - (Admitted bias - The Clear Brands has embraced this strategy completely) Licensing offers a strategic advantage for brands looking to expand reach without owning every facility. This approach can deliver option value across various geographies, but it requires rigorous specifications, testing procedures, and partner governance to ensure the brand maintains its consistency everywhere. Hybrid Infrastructure Platforms Hybrid platforms are creating a “shared services” layer, including compliance, QA, manufacturing systems, and distribution standards that brands can connect to. This strategy is particularly appealing for bolt-on opportunities, provided the platform is truly interoperable and not just a standalone solution. The central question is not which model is currently popular, but which approach best reduces operational risk while preserving brand integrity. Ultimately, capital gravitates toward predictability, since repeatable returns depend on it. This principle is consistent across all consumer categories. From a strategic perspective, it’s vital to determine where to place the bet: should you own the assets, own the brand, or own the operating system? The right choice is the one that increases integration velocity while maintaining quality and regulatory durability. #theclearbrands #TWAXbyTheClear #TheClearEFX

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