Tennis Legend John McEnroe to Play Himself, Thanks to Michelob Ultra

Posted on May 17, 2022 by Joel Whitaker

Michelob Ultra is inviting legendary tennis player John McEnroe to look back at his amazing accomplishments by playing against five versions of himself from pivotal moments his career in a real-time tennis match.

To select the dates for John’s digital opponents, the team chose moments truly personal to John over five different years of John’s career, like when he burst onto the tennis scene in ’79, became world #1 in ’81, and when he had the best singles record ever in ’84. the world’s first real vs. virtual tennis match.

“McEnroe vs. McEnroe” will debut Wednesday May 18 on ESPN2 and ESPN+ at 8pm ET, blending technology with the personal story of a tennis legend to allow fans to witness a unique, action-packed match between past and present.

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Economy Watch: Full Order Books, Rising Energy Prices = Continued Growth: ING

Posted on May 17, 2022 by Joel Whitaker

ING Economics is projecting second-quarter GDP will top 3%.

Output rose 1.1% month-on-month in April versus the 0.5% consensus with manufacturing up 0.8% (consensus 0.4%), utilities up 2.4% and mining up 1.6% with oil and gas drilling up 3.2%.

Manufacturing output is now more than 4% up on pre-pandemic levels and is at its highest level since 2008. Motor vehicles and parts led the way with a 3.9% MoM increase to leave output up 17% year-on-year, which suggests there has been a clear improvement in supply chains. Importantly this points to more availability of vehicles that can take more steam out of the second-hand car market. Surging prices here have been a key factor pushing consumer price inflation higher over the past couple of years given its 4.2% weighting within the CPI basket.

Excluding autos, manufacturing output was up 0.8% with machinery output rising 0.8% and consumer goods also up 0.8% with business equipment up 1.1%.

Decent order books point to ongoing strength in output while elevated oil and gas prices are prompting more drilling activity. The number of new oil and gas rigs is rising pretty rapidly now (714 last week versus 673 at the beginning of April). As with the good retail sales report, this all points to a strong 2Q GDP rebound, keeping the Federal Reserve on track with 50bp interest rate hikes.

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DISCUS, Pronghorn Join to Boost Black Hiring

Posted on May 17, 2022 by Joel Whitaker

Pronghorn and the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) announced a partnership to increase hiring from within the Black community among leading spirits suppliers.

According to Pronghorn research, while Black Americans represent 12% of alcohol consumers across categories, they make up just 7.8% of the sector’s labor force and 2% of executives in the industry. To address the employment gap, Pronghorn seeks to gain commitments from suppliers, distributors and retailers to fill 1,800 roles within the industry over the next ten years.

This initiative, led by Pronghorn and in partnership with DISCUS and DISCUS Members, seeks to identify qualified candidates from within the Black community to fill positions from internships to the executive level in the distilled spirits industry and associated roles. Available positions will be posted on www.PRONGHORN.co/careers and the career pages of participating spirits suppliers.

“With this first of its kind, industry-wide initiative, Pronghorn and DISCUS will correct the imbalance of underrepresented groups to reflect the market we serve.” said Dia Simms, Co-Founder, Pronghorn. “We are focused on granting access and removing barriers that have put Black people and other communities of color at a disadvantage when it comes to ownership, investing or just working within the spirits industry in general.”

Victoria Russell, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Beam Suntory added, “As Chair of the DISCUS DEI Committee, I’m proud and inspired by our collective efforts to increase representation and drive measurable change among distilled spirits suppliers and ensure equitable opportunities for Black talent within the industry.”

“In addition to working hand-in-hand with Pronghorn to achieve equal representation for the Black community, DISCUS has developed educational content, available through the DISCUS Academy, which provides resources and tools to further advance potential talent,” said Chris Swonger, President and CEO, DISCUS and Responsibility.org. “We are stronger together and will continue to support Pronghorn’s diversity initiatives by keeping pace with the rapid changes in the marketplace.”

In 2021, Diageo North America became an anchor investor in Pronghorn and committed dedicated resources to provide a deep and broad set of industry expertise that will supercharge Pronghorn’s investments in Route to Market strategies, trade and brand marketing, supply chain and manufacturing, among other key disciplines. The company’s participation in Pronghorn is part of a broader program within Diageo North America supporting diverse communities, including $10 million in permanent endowments across 25 Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the U.S. and awarding grants in key cities to help hospitality industry businesses adjust to COVID-19 requirements.

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Starward Intros Octave Barrels to U.S.

Posted on May 17, 2022 by Joel Whitaker

Starward Octave Barrels is an Australian single-malt whisky, taking some of the world’s oldest Shiraz plantings from Australia’s oldest family-owned winery and taking these barrels to create a world first Single Estate Australian Whisky.

This is the first release in the US from Starward Projects, a program that encourages Starward’s distillers to experiment with different whiskies and barrels to create flavor forward and unique expressions, and this is yet another example of their craft. As there is no mold for Australian whisky, Starward has the freedom to make it their own way, learning from the Old World while embracing the flavor possibilities of the New World.

Starward Octave Barrels is matured in 100L octave-sized barrels that previously held Yalumba The Octavius, an iconic Shiraz wine and the world’s only red wine aged in these specialty sized barrels. Once The Octavius is bottled, freshly emptied barrels are sent to Starward’s Melbourne distillery and filled with Starward’s new make spirit that will become their signature single malt whisky. The smaller volume of these robust little vessels, handcrafted from American oak, creates more wood to whisky interaction compared to standard sized wine barrels, allowing this single malt whisky to soak up more of the celebrated characteristics of The Octavius Shiraz as it reaches full maturation.

 

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Avaline Debuts Its First Chardonnay

Posted on May 17, 2022 by Joel Whitaker

Avaline introduces its first Chardonnay (13% ABV, $28).

“We wanted to craft a wine for lovers of crisp whites that was suitable for every occasion. The result is this new, bright Chardonnay – a versatile sip that we think just might turn those who typically shy away from this varietal into fans. At the end of the day, it’s all about the grapes,” says Cameron Diaz, co-founder and wellness author (The Body Book, The Longetivity Book).

On the nose, Avaline Chardonnay is said to be aromatic and fruit-driven with notes of white peach, Meyer lemon blossom, gardenia, Granny Smith apple and a hint of roasted hazelnuts. The palate is full of crisp pear and apple notes. The mouthfeel is full and lush while still having great zip and finishing with clean acidity. Serve it chilled by the pool, pour at your next picnic or drop in some ice while you hang in your hammock. It’s Chardonnay, made chic.

“Since Chardonnay is one of the most loved wines on earth, we knew we wanted to create one with Avaline’s standards. In true Avaline style, we’re putting a refreshing spin on an old favorite for our community to enjoy.” says Katherine Power. author of Who What Wear and Versed Skincare.

To produce the wine, Avaline partnered with Tagaris Winery in Richland, WA. The winery is over 1650 acres including 370 acres of organically-farmed grapes. From soil to bottle, the winery practices sustainability to protect the soil, air and water that breathe life, and ultimately flavor, into the grapes and wines.

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Evan Williams to Feature American-Made Heros on Bottles

Posted on May 17, 2022 by Joel Whitaker

The Heaven Hill brand named six veterans as American-Made Heroes.  Since inaugurating the program in 2015, Evan Williams has recognized 48 veteran heroes on its American Hero Edition bottles and has donated $450,000 to nonprofits supporting the veteran community across the country.

“As an American-made and American-owned Bourbon, we are proud to celebrate the heroic stories of military veterans, chosen for their selfless acts of service at home and abroad,” Julie Cole, Evan Williams Bourbon Senior Brand Manager said. “The purpose of the foundation is not only to provide a platform for sharing their inspiring stories, but also raising public awareness for causes impacting the veteran community and supporting nonprofit organizations that help veterans and their families.”

The six will be featured on 400,000 limited-edition American Hero bottles (SRP:$24.99), which are adorned with red and white stripes and stars.  The side of the bottle features the brand’s tagline, “American Owned, American Made, American Proud” and celebrates Evan Williams’ legacy as Kentucky’s first commercial distiller.

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