Category: Uncategorized
-
Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.
If one were to earmark the date of Warsteiner’s slow decline it would be August 2008. In the third quarter of 2008, Warsteiner Importers Agency of the U.S. set a record in STWs, STRs, and profit. At the same time, in Germany, Albert Cramer, the eighth generation Cramer family member to lead the brewery, fired […]
-
Don’t find fault, find a remedy.
Texas had the highest US volume sales for Schlitz when Stroh took over the brand, an action which created excitement among the wholesalers. For the first time in a number of years, the wholesalers finally felt they had a chance to right the ship with the Schlitz brand, while at the same time obtaining a […]
-
The internet, man, is a beautiful thing.
Last week, while visiting an account in the Texas Hill Country, I along with the other customers in a local restaurant noticed that our phone emails had crashed. In addition, we were unable to use our credit cards to pay for our purchases because all the terminals in the restaurant also were also down. This […]
-
Most brands started from a strong base and kept a strong belief.
Schlitz died when senior management decided to maximize profits by using chemical additives that changed the flavor and look of the beer. Schlitz’s white knight was Stroh’s but the heavy debt, along with the lack of senior management leadership, led that venture to also close and sell out. Heileman Brewing Co., under the leadership of […]
-
If you’re not cheating, you are not trying..
When Krombacher decided to export to the U.S., their target markets were New York, Chicago and LA. After appointing a New York distributor in 2011, and working through the necessary details, the brand was launched with some small success. As with many imports from other countries, the plan was to first acquire distribution in the low […]
-
I drank beer, and I had a career year..
Constellation Beers’ 2018 numbers are nothing short of remarkable, especially considering the state of the rest of the beer industry. Constellation’s beer business grew depletions by 9.8% for the year; shipments were a step behind, up 8.8%.; and net sales grew by double digits, up 10.1%. Overall, Constellation’s operating income was up 19.8%. Beer Business Daily […]
-
Consolidating to the point of monopoly has never served the consumer – ever.
As discussed in past articles, when I took over the Schlitz operation in 1981, the territory included a number of counties in far south Texas. Three of these counties did 95% of the volume. In those counties, I had nine wholesalers competing within the same area: one Budweiser, one Miller, two Coors, two Lone Star, […]
-
Brands are born, not created.
The beer industry has transformed dramatically in the past 80 years, but one constant has remained, and that is the number one selling beers have evolved generationally every 15 to 20 years. A more recent change is the method in which the industry now measures success in terms of the number one selling brands. On […]
-
Collaborations have no meaning if 1 + 1 does not equal much more than 2.
The history of Heineken’s expansion and growth after WWII has been previously documented in past blogs. The importer, Van Munching, predominantly appointed liquor houses to distribute the beer. This was, at the time, a logical way to distribute beer, as the trade channels that sold the most volume were liquor stores, upscale bars and restaurants. The […]
-
The art of communication is the language of leadership.
The upcoming CBC convention is expected to host more than 10,000 people. This year a participant has the choice of attending an industry convention, seminars, classes or other training sessions most months of the year. In addition to the CBC, there is the annual NBWA convention, along with similar events hosted by Beer Marketer’s Insights, […]