Every spirits brand today is chasing the same elusive prize: Gen-Z and Millennial spirits consumers. Two generations who don’t drink the way the ones before them did, and who are quietly rewriting the rules of when, why, and what they reach for. Few people are tracking that shift more closely than Dave Williams and Erica Duecy. Dave, President of BUMP Williams Consulting, has spent a decade turning beverage-alcohol data into strategy for suppliers, distributors, and retailers navigating a changing consumer base. Erica, founder of Business of Drinks and host of the podcast of the same name, has built her career translating consumer behavior into brand strategy for some of the best-known names in wine and spirits.
In this episode, recorded live at Bar Convent Brooklyn as Part 1 of our two-part series “Cracking the Generational Code,” Dave and Erica break down what’s actually driving Gen-Z and Millennial spirits consumption, from why nearly half of Gen-Z abstains entirely yet still drinks spirits as often as Millennials do, to why Millennials, now the industry’s highest-value buyer, are still being marketed as “young drinkers.” We explore how moderation is reshaping loyalty rather than ending it, why wellness has become a purchase filter even for alcohol, how RTDs are winning by removing friction from the decision, and why the sale is often won or lost long before a shopper ever reaches the shelf.
Park Street Imports is the back-office and importing solution for alcoholic beverage brands launching and scaling in the U.S. market.
Featured Guests:
Dave Williams, President, BUMP Williams Consulting
Erica Duecy, Founder, Business of Drinks
Mentioned in the Episode:
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