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PODCAST

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast

Rabobank"s global beverage team offers insights, analysis, and a bit of entertainment for your morning commute. Liquid Assets will help you tackle the latest trends, introduce you to industry leaders, and prepare you for what"s next in the beverage world. Please read our disclaimer here: https://research.rabobank.com/far/en/footer/disclaimer.html

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All Episodes

32:16

Breaking down the potential Pernod Ricard,...

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2026/04/08

In late March, Brown-Forman Corporation and Pernod Ricard confirmed they were in talks about a potential merger that would bring together giant brands like Jack Daniels, Herradura, Woodford Reserve, Jameson, Beefeater, Absolut, and Chivas Regal. It would be a formidable lineup, which in terms of spirits sales would rival the scale of Diageo – long the largest spirits business in the history of the universe. Equity analyst Richard Withagen of Kepler Cheuvreux joins us to discuss the details and

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01:04:54

The new world for venture capital

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2026/03/31

Many investors have abandoned the world of early-stage alcohol startups, leaving a gaping hole in the market. There is less money available to fuel startup growth, and potential buyers are demanding both scale and profitability, extending the time to achieve an exit and reshaping the optimal strategy for building a brand. Over the last five years, Jason Sherman (Top Shelf) and Nick Papanicolaou (No Sleep Beverage) each helped found venture capital firms specializing in alcohol. In this episode we

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01:10:23

Heaven Hill on how to thrive in a downturn

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2026/03/19

From 1970 to 1995, US per capita spirits consumption fell by nearly 50%. Yet some players, like Heaven Hill, emerged stronger and more diversified than when the downturn began. In this episode, Heaven Hill Chairman Max Shapira and President Kate Latts reflect on the company's 90‑year journey, offering first-person accounts of beverage alcohol's last major downturn, the subsequent revival in demand, and what lessons, if any, apply to the current marketplace. In this episode we discuss: The

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36:13

Are there any bright spots in wine and spirits?...

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2026/03/03

Fresh from their rather somber state-of-the-industry presentation, SipSource analysts Danny Brager and Dale Stratton help identify whether there are any areas of growth and promise in the wine and spirits business. Topics include: The performance of wine and spirits depletions in 2025 and the outlook for 2026. The surprising resilience of RTD growth rates. Prosecco's continuing strong performance. The wine industry trying more innovative marketing strategies. The importance of finding the right

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31:44

How to become the biggest wine brand in the Midwest…...

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2026/02/26

Oliver Winery is one of the largest wine businesses in the United States. It is located in Indiana. In this episode, CEO Pat Brown shares how the unusual origins of the business have helped the company capture consumers who would otherwise be overlooked by the wine business, as well as the advantages of operating a winery outside the West Coast. Have a question, qualm or story to tell, reach out via email: Bourcard.Nesin@rabobank.com Sign up to access our written research: RaboResearch sign-up

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25:53

Breakthru's Danny Wirtz on suppliers' shift to a...

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2026/02/23

Danny Wirtz, Co-Chairman of Breakthru Beverage Group, discusses how brands are rethinking national agreements and what success looks like when performance, not footprint, are the primary concern for suppliers' route-to-market strategy. Themes from the episode: How did Breakthru shift strategy after a planned merger with Republic National Distributing Company was terminated in 2019? What does geographic expansion look like in the current market? What is driving decisions about footprint? Are

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40:38

US wine and spirits wholesalers are all in on hemp...

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2026/02/19

We caught up with Francis Creighton, President and CEO of Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, on the floor at this year's Access Live conference in Las Vegas. In addition to helping its members navigate a very difficult business environment, the lobbying group representing US wine and spirits wholesalers in the US has a full advocacy agenda. Francis quickly brings us up to date on its legislative priorities and how wholesalers are dealing with the tough times. Have a question, qualm or story to

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01:16:07

What's next for US beer distribution? featuring Harry...

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2026/02/10

The team from Beer Business Daily and Beernet Radio offer candid coverage of the tumult and upheaval in the US beer wholesaler business. In this episode, we touch on the following topics: How are big brands (AB InBev, Molson Coors, Constellation Brands) applying pressure differently to their wholesaler networks? What is the outlook for hemp beverages (né marijuana edibles)? Will they be legal in 2027, and are they actual profit drivers for wholesalers? Will wholesalers continue to diversify away

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01:14:41

The 2026 economic outlook

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2026/02/03

Economics power duo Jane Foley and Christian Lawrence return to discuss the first 12 months of the Trump administration and the 2026 outlook for economies in the US and Europe. As always, the conversation is far-reaching, touching on: The AI boom and its impact on business operations and economic growth. Inflation and the legacy of higher food, housing, and healthcare prices. Interest rates, currencies, and the threats to an independent Federal Reserve. The waning predictive power of consumer

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59:14

New dietary guidelines, endless CEO turnover,...

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2026/01/26

In this episode, we're joined by analyst Francois Sonneville and relationship manager Jonathan Magel to discuss the biggest news stories from the past 30 days, including: The US issues new dietary guidelines for alcohol consumption. Will it impact consumption or regulatory pressure? The CEO of Heineken will be stepping down later this year. Virtually every major alcohol business has seen executive turnover in the last 18 months. Does this signal a shift in our expectations for a quick return to

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01:14:32

The biggest beverage stories of the last decade

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2025/12/17

The end of 2025 marks the end of an era. Our dear friend and cohost Jim Watson returns for one last episode. We celebrate 10 years of ingenious, unparalleled drinks industry coverage with a very special episode, discussing the biggest story from each year of the past decade. And if you've appreciated Jim's work over 125+ episodes of this show, you should thank him directly at: JCWatson334@gmail.com. Tune in to learn something and remember some pivotal beverage industry moments as we break down:

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58:04

Public spirits companies hope the worst is over

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2025/11/26

Special guest Richard Withagen (Equity Analyst at Kepler Cheuvreux) joins us as we review the latest earnings results from the spirits industry (Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Brown-Forman, Campari, Rémy Cointreau, and Becle). Alongside individual company results, we discuss the broader impact of regulation on spirits sales, how long a transitory/cyclical downturn can be before it is considered structural, the sharp shift in fortunes between geographies, and the difficulty of off-loading unwanted brands

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01:00:19

The five things that will make or break the craft...

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2025/11/17

Craft spirits companies have seen an abrupt shift in fortune. Loaded with debt, rising cost of goods sold, and declining demand, many are struggling to survive. With help from our expert panel, we explore the greatest challenges craft distillers are facing and some of the financial and strategic decisions that could prove the difference between closure and living to sell another year. Guests on today's episode: Maria Pearman – Advisory Partner / fractional CFO, GHJ Margie Lehrman – CEO, American

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01:00:47

Outgunned and outspent: How independent RTD brands...

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2025/10/30

The odds are stacked against them. They have less money, less influence with distributors, and fewer R&D resources to alchemize the perfect drink, yet smaller RTD brands are going toe-to-toe and often winning the race to capture the fastest-growing space in the beverage alcohol business. In this episode, Evan Burns, CEO at The Finnish Long Drink, and Clement Pappas, cofounder and CEO of Stateside Brands – the company that owns Surfside – explain how, against all odds, they built successful brands in

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58:06

Global beer results prove why diversification is so...

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2025/10/15

We look back at the results from the first half of 2025 and check in on the performances of the world’s largest global beer companies (Heineken, Carlsberg, AB InBev, Molson Coors, Constellation Brands, and Royal Unibrew). We also look at three major themes affecting the beer business in 2025: the dramatic impact of harsh immigration policies on American Latinos, the struggles of European brewers to push costs onto consumers, and the urgency and surprising success of global beer businesses betting

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54:48

Southern Glazer‘s on competition from beer...

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2025/09/25

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is the largest alcohol wholesaler in the United States. We caught up with Mark Chaplin, John Wittig, and David Chaplin, three of Sourthern’s senior executives, to discuss the toughest issues facing alcohol distribution in 2025 and increasing pressure to become a total beverage distributor. Note: This episode was recorded only a few days prior to Southern’s acquisition of AB InBev’s wholly owned New York City distribution operations. In the coming weeks, we will have

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45:55

How are importers managing tariffs and declining demand?

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2025/09/18

With tariffs, falling demand, and an unfavorable exchange rate, it can feel as though the cosmos are conspiring to make life hard for US importers. However, many import brands and bulk products remain very competitive in the US market. In this episode, we discuss how importers are adjusting to survive and if not thrive in the current operating environment. This is episode two from our discussion with Ryan O’Hara, CEO of MHW, and Serena Campell, Operations Director for USA Wine West. Check out

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55:41

How to import wine and spirits into the US

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2025/09/08

Winning in the US market is the holy grail for many brands around the world, but how do you get started? What type of importer should you use, what should you expect from them, and what should you be prepared to bring to the table? What gets an importer excited to support your brand? In this episode we speak with Ryan O’Hara, CEO of MHW, and Serena Campbell, Operations Director for USA Wine West, for a crash course on how to maximize your chance of succeeding in the competitive, confusing, and

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01:15:23

Everything you need to know about hemp

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2025/08/22

It seems unthinkable that a simple legal loophole for hemp would lead to the de facto legalization of marijuana edibles in the United States, but here we are. Intoxicating hemp products are everywhere, and everyone seems to be excited about them. But the story of hemp-derived THC's rise and the greatest threat to its future are inexorably linked to its legal status. In this episode, we speak to two legal experts, Marc Hauser and Rebecca Stamey-White, about how the intoxicating hemp business came to

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47:40

Inside the boardroom: What a company board really...

Liquid Assets: A Beverage Industry Podcast ·

2025/07/30

Caroline Levy and Carol Reber know a lot about being on a board. Between them, they sit on the board of six different companies that include Celsius Holdings, Far Niente Wine Estates, Health-Ade, Arterra Wines Canada, Rack & Riddle, and Athletic Brewing Company. On today’s episode, Carol and Caroline share their journeys and bring us up to speed on what a company board of directors actually does, who should be on them, and what characteristics distinguish a good board from a bad one. Want to sign up

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146 results

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