Another NBWA Annual Convention is in the books, and attendees are coming away with instructions to communicate with partners, know their rights (mandated by franchise laws) and reinvigorate beer by promoting occasions. 

NBWA president and CEO Craig Purser shared those instructions during his opening remarks Monday. In today’s Brewbound Insider Newsletter and on Brewbound.com, Insiders are getting all the highlights, as well as reading about:

• Phony Negroni’s on-premise led growth strategy;
• A new investment in Kylie Jenner’s vodka RTD Sprinter;
• An Eagle-eyed surprise guest at the NBWA’s event;
• The suspension of Maine Beer co-founder Dan Kleban’s political campaign;
• And a bright & colorful new venture from Deschutes (supported by the craft brewery’s well-dressed CEO).

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Sweater weather calls for cider. Seattle Cider’s Pumpkin Spice is crafted with fresh pressed Washington apples, real pumpkin, and a blend of warm spices. Cozy, aromatic, and unmistakably fall, this is how we do pumpkin season in the PNW. Learn more

More than 5 years beyond the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. continues to battle a "loneliness epidemic,” where consumers feel isolated, concerned and alone in a world of economic uncertainty, rising costs, political turmoil and more online socialization than in-person interactions. 

All of those headwinds have plagued beer, which thrives as a conduit for social occasions. However, the category is also primed to help “turn this loneliness epidemic around,” NBWA president and CEO Craig Purser said Monday, during Day 1 of the trade group’s Annual Convention in Las Vegas. 

The "elephant in the room” during this week’s conference was increased “pressures from suppliers,” primarily reports that Anheuser-Busch InBev (A-B) is attempting to terminate several distributors for allegedly not meeting the beer giant’s product turnover standards or rollout plans. 

Purser said: “When suppliers take a product or a brand away from dedicated distributors, that challenges the partnership. It creates division. Forcing distributors to accept product they didn’t order, without concern for the consequences, that calls into question the relationship and it makes folks wonder if they are on the same team.

Insiders can read more on how the NBWA is addressing supplier moves with its members, and other highlights from Purser’s remarks.

Vodka soda RTD Sprinter Spirits has secured over $4 million in new investment as part of a $12 million round it is currently raising, per an SEC Form D filed on Friday.

Insiders can read more here.

St. Agrestis is sometimes still called a Brooklyn-based amaro company, but the distiller is more of a Phony Negroni business at this point.

The Phony Negroni – launched in 2022, 5 years after the company’s founding by brothers Louis and Matt Catizone – comes in 5 varieties and retails at about $5 per single-serve bottle, and has made gains by planting a flag on restaurant and bar menus. 

The founders discovered early on that the product solved 2 problems: the wholesale price allowed operators to meet the same margins as a cocktail sale, and let them skip making their own NA libations.

Insiders can read more about the company’s distribution growth (on- and off-premise), other innovations from St. Agrestis and its future plans. 

Outgoing NBWA chair Rebecca Maisel stressed the importance of distributor independence from “undue supplier influence” in making business decisions, during her opening remarks at the trade group’s 88th annual convention in Las Vegas.

Maisel’s remarks come as Anheuser-Busch InBev is reportedly attempting to terminate as many as 10 of its distributors for what is believed to be selling outdated products. 

During her speech, Maisel called the ability to make independent business decisions “critical” – “from the brands and suppliers we choose to partner with, to how we price our products to the trade, to the way we go to market.” She pointed to distributor-supplier partnerships being “the lifeblood of our businesses” and built on “respect.” 

“But is it deeply disappointing when that respect isn’t returned,” said Maisel, who is Gulf Distributing VP of legal and governmental affairs.

Insiders can read more from Day 1 of the NBWA’s Annual Convention and additional remarks from Maisel on challenges and opportunities in the market and legislative wins for distributors.

The deadline to apply for the Brewbound Live Pitch Slam, the leading business pitch competition for emerging beer, beyond beer, and adult beverage brands, is TODAY (Wednesday, October 15). The competition will take place during Brewbound Live 2025, held in Marina del Rey, December 10 & 11.

This year, the Pitch Slam gets a high-impact makeover: a new 1-day format, a tighter slate of finalists, and an intentional spotlight on innovation.

The Brewbound Live Pitch Slam is open to early-stage adult beverage brands across beer, hard seltzer, hard cider, hard kombucha, RTD cocktails, THC-infused beverages and more. Whether you’re pre-launch with a product ready to sample or already in market for less than two years, we’re looking for disruptive brands with innovative concepts and the potential to scale. All applicants should be focused on the U.S. market and capable of providing packaged samples.

The deadline to apply is TODAY. Space is limited. Apply Now >>

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