Supplier and Distributor Promotional “Banks,” Third Party Promotion Companies and Inconsistent TTB Enforcement, Oh My!
Robert M. Tobiassen, president, National Association of Beverage Importers, attended the TTB 2019 Trade Practice Seminar in New York City last week and shared his impressions with John Hinman of Hinman & Carmichael. Those policies, Tobiassen writes, “demonstrate a distressing lack of understanding of industry marketing and sales developments over the last 20 years and may, in his view, exceed TTB Agency authority. TID officials at the conference expressed how amazed they are at the involvement of third-party promotion companies in alleged violations.” (Hinman & Carmichael)
Going Undercover with a Craft Beer Reviewer
Last year I joined a small-but-growing nationwide group of people who act as secret shoppers for breweries. Craft breweries across the country enlist undercover reviews from such organizations to ensure their facilities and services are up to par. I’m assigned to the Detroit area, and the assignments come in up to twice a month.
My latest job was to visit a craft brewery in Detroit, sit down at the bar, order a flight and a pint, and observe. I’m not there to judge or review the quality of the beer itself, but rather the environment, the proficiency of the staff, and the overall interactions one might have in a public drinking establishment.
The Secret to 200-Year-Old Champagne House Billecart-Salmon’s Longevity
There are less than a handful of family-owned Champagne houses that are more than 200 years old – Roland-Billecart claims that staying independent has been the biggest achievement in the Champagne house’s two-century history. (CNA Luxury)