Central and Moon Distributors, the largest Arkansas-owned wholesalers of wines, beers and spirits, computer systems were “compromised” by a cyber attack, disrupting the supply of bev/al in Central Arkansas.
The FBI issued as statement asking victims of cyber attacks to report them to their local FBI office.
The disruption, which means some bev/al products simply aren’t available, is in addition to transportation problems, glass supplies, etc.
National Trust for Scotland archaeologists have uncovered some secrets of Scotland’s whisky history in an excavation at the former site of The Glenlivet Distillery, one of Scotland’s first whisky distilleries to be licensed after the 1823 Excise Act.
The dig at the site of Upper Drumin in Speyside, which is 1km upslope from the modern distillery, has so far uncovered the floor of the old site, which dates from 1824. This is where The Glenlivet’s founder, George Smith, risked life and liberty to produce his single malt whisky. Fragments of bottle glass and ceramics believed to have been involved in whisky production were also found.
Investigations took place from Oct.4-9 and were carried out as part of the Pioneering Spirit project – a partnership between the National Trust for Scotland and The Glenlivet to uncover and share the history and impact that whisky production has had on Scotland’s cultural heritage and our modern way of life.
The old distillery site was first a farm, converted to a whisky production site by George Smith in response to the 1823 Excise Act, which made licensed production of whisky possible. Before that date, Smith, like many others in communities across Scotland – including Speyside and the Highlands – had produced the spirit illegally, smuggling the spirit to their customers. Smith was the first illicit producer to get his licence.
Apart from the remains of two of the old mill dams, nothing of the former distillery survives above ground. The site, which is on Crown Estate Scotland land, is marked by an inscribed monument, indicating its important role in whisky history.
“This is where the illicit production of whisky, which is what we find evidence of at our National Trust for Scotland sites, and the transition towards larger-scale industrial production meet. This site is a formative part of the whisky industry becoming one of Scotland’s biggest and most successful. It’s such a powerful part of our national story and identity, which is loved and recognised at home and around the globe,” said Derek Alexander, the National Trust for Scotland’s Head of Archaeology
Dry Point Distillers, Las Cruces, Tex., has been dealing with supply shortages since last year, owner Chris Schaefer said. Normally it takes about six to 10 days to get a shipment of bottles.
“They just sent me a notice as of October 1 of this year, all shipments of glass will have an extra 10 percent fee,” he told KTSM-TV, “Ten percent when I’m ordering $7,000 worth of bottles is kind of a lot.”
“We’ve been absorbing some of these hits,” he said, “community has been behind us for more than four years and we want to keep that bottle of vodka at $18.”
National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) said its Distributors Against Human Trafficking initiative was awarded the Power of A (association) Gold Award from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). The Power of A Awards honor the outstanding accomplishments of associations and industry professionals who work tirelessly to solve problems, and strengthen lives, the workforce, the economy and the world.
“We are thrilled that our Distributors Against Human Trafficking Initiative has received the Power of A Award from ASAE,” said NBWA President and CEO Craig Purser. “This recognition is the result of beer distributors’ commitment to making a positive impact in their local communities and comes at a pivotal time. Recently, we proudly announced that we eclipsed our 2021 training goal—having already trained more than 26,000 distributors total. We are thankful for ASAE’s acknowledgment of our efforts to eradicate human trafficking nationwide.”
Working alongside state attorneys general, NBWA created an awareness training video to help the more than 140,000 beer distribution employees in the U.S. recognize and report signs of human trafficking. Beer distributors are uniquely positioned to help fight this heinous crime given their level of access to locations often unseen by the public as they visit approximately 600,000 licensed retail locations across the country. Through the initiative, NBWA has trained over 26,000 beer distribution employees since its launch, already surpassing its goal of training 25,000 employees by the end of 2021.
Mad Elf is back on shelves in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, and this year the Troegs Independent Brewing product is sporting a new label:
Almost half of consumers in the U.S. (43%) are loyal to at least one food and beverage brand, according to a new survey report from Visual Objects, a visual guide to finding and hiring the best creative firm.
That’s more loyalty than experienced by other categories, Visual Objects said, adding that food and beverage companies are known for branding strategies that reflect audience interests while accurately representing products.
Customers Want Brands to Commit to Quality
Consumers are looking for quality when choosing between similar products.
Nearly half of consumers (44%) say that brands will keep their business if they maintain quality.
A commitment to quality service is one of the main things companies should offer, which should inspire brands to partner with each other to attain creative solutions to customer problems.
Nate Tsang, founder and CEO of investment research tool WallStreetZen, believes that customers may increase their expectations for value when they encounter a robust partnership.
“If people can see how the two brands function better in tandem, they’ll go in with those higher expectations,” Tsang said. “It’s up to the brands to ensure they can provide that increased value without over-promising and under-delivering.”
Consumers Seek Familiarity When Purchasing
More than half of U.S. consumers (57%) trust products from widely-known brands more than those with names they don’t recognize.
When consumers can anticipate their experience with a product before purchasing, they’re more likely to be comfortable with a purchase. Familiarity acts as a social proof of concept for name brands.
