Alcohol Use Increased During Covid Pandemic: Study

Posted on October 6, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

That old saw about people not drinking more when times get tough (they just lower the price point) may not apply during economic challenges, but it’s not true when those hard times are a result of a global pandemic.

That, at any rate, is the conclusion bev/al marketers might draw from a just-published study of millennials.by Millennium Health, published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

The Millennium study analyzed the results of 2,000,000 unique patients, from urine specimens collected between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2020 in all 50 states, and found:

  • 16.73% were positive for alcohol.
  • Those most likely to test positive were male patients, 45-64 years old, and from a primary care clinical setting
  • A small but significant increase in alcohol positivity was noted during the COVID-19 timeframe
  • Alcohol use is influenced by multiple factors, including season; positivity was highest in the summer and lowest in the winter

“We used our national database of definitive UDT results to help identify factors influencing alcohol use in patients presenting to a healthcare facility,” says Kelly Olson, PhD, Director, Clinical Affairs and lead author of the study. “Knowing these characteristics and monitoring for alcohol use can help identify those at increased risk, provide an opportunity to intervene, and help improve clinical decision-making.”

The Drug and Alcohol Dependence study can be accessed here.

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Cava Discovery Week Returns to NYC

Posted on October 6, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

Cava Discovery Week in the USA will launch on Saturday, October 9, kicking off a week-long series of celebrations for wine lovers to sample an array of top quality Cavas at some of New York City’s most celebrated restaurants and bars.

From Saturday, October 9 to Sunday, October 17, venues across New York City—including Casa Mono & Bar Jamòn, Huertas, Contento, Francie, Mercado Little Spain, Veranda, Tomiño Taberna Gallega, Boro6 Wine Bar, Despaña Soho, and Gary’s Wine & Marketplace—will join a US-wide campaign to champion Cava’s high quality and demonstrate its tremendous versatility when paired with food. For nine straight days, these restaurant partners will offer a diverse selection of Cavas for diners to try by-the-glass as well as exciting food pairing suggestions to provide new tasting experiences. Although Cava is well-suited for Spanish and Mediterranean food menus, the program will also introduce new ideas for food pairings with unexpected cuisines that are not typically associated with Spanish or sparkling wine.

This is the second iteration of Cava Discovery Week in the USA, designed to educate wine enthusiasts about Cava and highlight the versatility of this quality Spanish sparkling wine.

In addition to these special in-house promotions, social media competitions, giveaways, and online events will provide opportunities for Cava enthusiasts across the USA to engage and learn, including:

  • Cava & Conservas on Wednesday, October 13 at 6:00 pm EST with Chef Jonah Miller of Huertas NYC and Blaine Ashley of The FIZZ is Female. NYC residents may register and purchase the wine and conservas pack (three wines paired with three conservas) here.
  • A Cava for Every Palate on Thursday, October 14 at 6:00 pm EST, hosted by 2021 Wine Enthusiast 40 Under 40 Tastemaker Shakera Jones (Black Girls Dine Too, A Glass for Every Palate). Register and purchase the wine pack through retailer JC Select Wines here.
  • Instagram Lives throughout the week hosted by Julia Coney, Amelia Singer, and Georgia Panagopoulou. Click here for the schedule.
  • Wine.com retail promotion, featuring special discounts on Cava wines from October through December 2021.
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Diageo Honors Hispanic Contributions

Posted on October 6, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

Diageo selected local food trunk vendors in New York, Chicago, Houston and Miami, paired them with artists of Hispanic descent who will revitalize their trucks with murals celebrating the heritage and story of the vendor.

For an idea of how this will work, consider Queens, New York, where Johnnie Walker will honor the boundary-pushing and inspiring story of a 20-year-old Ecuadorian-owned community staple, Mike’s Express food truck.

Maggie Morales, the owner of Mike’s, has carved her own path as a proud Latina woman serving her community through food. Maggie lost her beloved husband Jorge in 2020 but has continued their family business on her own, persevering within the hospitality industry thanks to the support of friends and family.

Diageo paired Maggie with global artist and activist Magda Love, whose vibrant paintings and murals inspire people to recognize the value in shared personal experiences and emotional connectivity. Magda created a mural speaking to the Morales family’s decades of service to their long-time customers, and captured Maggie’s big heart, warm energy and fighting spirit.

The truck’s vivid hues include brightly colored flowers and foliage native to Ecuador, a big blue night sky sparkling with stars, and butterflies symbolizing Maggie’s transformation into a leader in her community and a voice for change.

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Heaven Hill Strike Enters 4th Week

Posted on October 5, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

Union members say more than 20 striking workers have already left for other opportunities.  It appears the United Food & Commercial Workers union that represents Heaven Hill workers and the distillery are at loggerheads.  At least for the moment, it seems, the company has the upper hand.  There’s a lot of whiskey aged in those rickhouses, and Heaven Hill can afford to give up several months of production.

The major sticking point, union officials says, involves scheduling workers for Saturday and Sunday workturns without awarding premium pay.

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Topo Chico Hard Seltzer To Release Margarita Hard Seltzer Variety Pack In 2022

Posted on October 5, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

Molson Coors Beverage Co. said Topo Chico Hard Seltzer will release its  second variety pack and first-full flavor extension — Topo Chico Margarita Hard Seltzer Variety Pack — next year.

“Most of the prepackaged margarita flavored options out there right now taste artificial and nothing like the actual cocktail,” said Matt Escalante, senior director of hard seltzers at Molson Coors. “With Topo Chico Margarita Hard Seltzer, we’re capturing the complexity of a real margarita in hard seltzer form infused with lime, salt and tequila notes and lightly sweetened with agave. We can’t wait for drinkers to try it.”

The Topo Chico Margarita Hard Seltzer Variety Pack will feature four tropical flavors, including Signature Margarita, Tropical Pineapple, Strawberry Hibiscus, and Prickly Pear, each in 12 fl oz cans and with 100 calories and 4.5% ABV per serving.

Topo Chico is distributed in conjunction with Coca-Cola Co., whose chief of new revenue streams, Dan White, said:

“The Coca-Cola Company has been pleased with its relationship with Molson Coors to bring Topo Chico Hard Seltzer to market and shake up the seltzer aisle. We love to see the consumer response and believe Molson Coors will bring yet another cutting-edge innovation to the category with Topo Chico Margarita Hard Seltzer that will not only win with existing fans but recruit new drinkers into the hard seltzer category.”

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Peter Heimark to Chair NBWA

Posted on October 5, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

“Peter’s two decades of experience serving the beer distribution industry in Southern California will be especially valuable as he helps lead this industry forward over the next year,” Craig Purser, president/CEO of NBWA. “Peter’s expertise and insights have already served NBWA well as an active member and Vice-Chairman. We welcome his leadership during such a crucial time for the industry.”

During his remarks, Heimark discussed his deep roots in the beer distribution business and spoke about the resilience of the industry throughout the pandemic, highlighting distributors’ role as essential businesses and their commitment to local communities.

“I was pretty much born to this business – third generation, going to the warehouse with my dad on Saturdays as a kid and vacationing around conventions just like this one. I am extremely honored to be your new Chairman, particularly at such a pivotal moment for our industry,” said Peter Heimark, President of Heimark Distributing. “Despite all the special interests that want to see us fail, we’re still here, and we continue to show we’re essential. Because we do what we always do — we get to work, we figure it out no matter the challenge and we get the job done.”

Following Heimark’s comments, NBWA presented several awards to distributor members:

  • The Public Affairs Award was given to Laura Markstein of Markstein Sales Company for her work on promoting the Distributors Against Human Trafficking Initiative.
  • The Kenny Kerr PAC Award was given to Gregory ‘Bud’ Dunn, Jr. of Atlas Sales for his work to continue growing the PAC every year since his chairmanship in 2019.
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