Distillers and their trade associations — American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA), American Distilling Institute (ADI) and Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), and the Distilled Spirits Council of Vermont — have expanded the Ship My Spirits campaign to Vermont.
“By simply providing distillers with the same access to consumers and allowing that we utilize the same proven age-verifying delivery methods, we can strengthen our distilling industry – while providing a revenue stream for the state of Vermont and our distilleries,” said Ryan Christiansen, president of Caledonia Spirits and representative of the Distilled Spirits Council of Vermont.
The Vermont legislature is currently considering multiple bills that would permanently allow distillers to ship their spirits products directly to adult consumers just as wineries have done for more than a decade in the state.
“Direct shipping is a critical step to secure the future of our industry,” said Margie A.S. Lehrman, CEO of the ACSA. “Not only do we know we can do this safely and responsibly, but we have also seen how direct shipping has created an important lifeline for our community of craft producers who are currently facing so many small business challenges, from tourism declines due to COVID, the rising costs of grains, to global glass supply shortages.”
“Consumers want distilled spirits shipped straight from the distillery to their doorbell, and that’s the goal of the ‘Ship My Spirits’ campaign,” said Chris Swonger, president/CEO of DISCUS. “Direct-to-consumer laws in Vermont need to be modernized to increase consumer choice, build small businesses and tourism, and create an on-ramp to distribution for new products. Allowing distillers, large and small, to direct ship supports consumers, producers, wholesalers and retailers which continues our support of the three-tier system.”