There are several benefits a written agreement can provide in franchise markets, as brands’ needs may not always fit well with certain wine and spirit distributors.  Firstly, the agreements must follow state franchise laws.  If they do, then they can ultimately...

The EU Commission has had a consulting team review the structure of the alcohol duties system in the UK.  The recent Brexit referendum has left many UK producers up in arms about trade with the rest of the EU.  Alan Powell, a specialist excise duties consultant,...

Alcohol’s import and export data through June 2016 was released this past week.  In the United States, packaged imports of beer, wine, and spirits have all increased by volume and value over the last year.  Imported beer and wine volumes are both up by 6.3%, while...

A new law will go into effect this week that will give Arizona residents more freedom to purchase out of state wine.  In the past, buying wine from out of state vineyards was highly regulated for residents of the state.  With the new law, “Arizonans will be able to...

Small to mid-sized wine wholesalers have become an important force in the US wine market, as they provide restaurants with a diverse and unique portfolio.  Because consolidation has occurred at the wholesale tier, the big distributors tend to push the well-known...

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is starting to strictly regulate social media posts that promote brands without indicating its sponsored content.  Celebrities and social media stars that are being paid to post are not always disclosing the fact that they are being...

Distilleries in Virginia can now sell their products directly to restaurants.  While the change will not affect the price or tax on the alcohol, the state’s new law will prove beneficial for a handful of parties.  Scott Harris, co-founder of Catoctin Creek, the first...

Senate Bill 2989 will aim to reduce alcohol bootlegging in Illinois.  If passed, the bill will make bootlegging and illegal transportation of alcohol into the state a felony offense.  The bill is strongly supported by wholesalers, as “the legislation represents the...

The TTB has recently proposed updates that will change wine labeling regulations for wineries purchasing grapes or bulk wine from out of state.  For wineries purchasing out of state grapes, their label’s appellation will now have to list the state in which the grapes...