Ready for an epic growth story? Meet Mack Hueber, president of Ayrloom, the hemp THC and cannabis company.

In less than three years, Ayrloom has gone from a bold idea on a fifth-generation apple orchard to the #1 cannabis beverage brand in New York State — moving 250,000 cases annually and hitting a $50 million wholesale sales run rate.

In this episode, Mack takes us inside that meteoric rise — and the risks, pivots, and strategic bets that made it possible.

You’ll hear:

• The leap from Wall Street to weed — why Mack joined Beak & Skiff’s leadership team and how Ayrloom was born out of a cider and spirits business.
  

• The early gamble that paid off — building one of the largest THC beverage bottling facilities on the East Coast before securing a license.
  

• Mastering three regulatory worlds — the operational, compliance, and margin realities of alcohol, hemp THC, and regulated cannabis in dispensary channels.
  

• Scaling fast without losing control — how Ayrloom built a $5M/month sales run rate and became a trusted retail partner from Day One.
  

• Distribution and flavor strategy — why Ayrloom plays in both dispensaries and hemp D9 channels, and the innovation behind their Honeycrisp THC cider.
  

• The next wave in cannabis drinks — from effect-based positioning to the role of minor cannabinoids.
  

If you’re a drinks entrepreneur — whether alcohol, non-alc, hemp, or cannabis — this conversation is packed with insights on scaling in a capital-intensive category, optimizing distributor relationships, and staying nimble when the rules can change literally overnight.

Last Call:

We discuss 3 things every drinks brand should know right now (from the recent Numerator Beverage Behaviors report):

1️⃣ NA drinks are growing 2.5x faster than alcohol2️⃣ Walmart.com now beats Amazon for NA beverage delivery3️⃣ Functional and hydration categories are booming — think prebiotic soda, coconut water, enhancers

It’s not just what’s in the can — it’s where, why, and how people buy it. Listen in for the full breakdown.

Source: Numerator Beverage Behaviors Report

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on August 27.

For the latest updates, follow us:

Business of Drinks:

YouTube

LinkedIn

Instagram @bizofdrinks

Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

LinkedIn

Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Instagram @borkaline

SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

Thinking about launching a cream-based or emulsified alcoholic beverage? This sponsored episode is a must-listen.

We’re joined by Matthew Benny, Chief Commercial Officer – The Americas, at Creamy Creation, a global leader in developing award-winning cream liqueurs and emulsified alcoholic drinks since 1979. From bourbon creams to plant-based oat liqueurs to cream-based RTDs, Creamy Creation is at the forefront of innovation in this highly technical and specialized category.

In this conversation, Matthew pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to create and scale a cream-based product — and why the category is brimming with opportunity for innovative brands. You’ll hear how consumer trends like indulgence and nostalgia are driving demand, and how forward-thinking companies are pushing flavor boundaries far beyond the traditional bourbon, chocolate, and coffee flavor profiles.

We also dig into the technical hurdles that can derail an emulsified beverage launch — and how the right development partner can help you sidestep them. 

Matthew explains:

• The biggest mistakes founders make when bringing a cream-based beverage to market — and how to market these products so they actually move off the shelf.

• How Creamy Creation works with clients of all sizes, from entrepreneurs with only a concept to multinationals with fully specced briefs.

• How to avoid costly bottlenecks in retort processing for low-ABV cream products, and alternatives that open the door to more flexible production.

• Why cream-based drinks don’t just sell in the winter, aren’t just for female consumers, and don’t actually need to be refrigerated.
  

If you’re curious about adding a cream liqueur to your portfolio, exploring plant-based indulgence, or looking for ways to stand out in a traditional category, this episode is packed with insights to shorten your learning curve and boost your chances of success.

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on August 20.

For the latest updates, follow us:

Business of Drinks:

LinkedIn

Instagram @bizofdrinks

Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

LinkedIn

Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. He currently serves as Head of Search at Distill Ventures. He was formerly the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Instagram @borkaline

SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

In the world of craft beer, it’s rare to see a regional brewery consistently post double-digit growth — especially as the craft beer category contracts. But that’s exactly what Iowa-based Big Grove Brewery has done, posting strong gains every year since 2018. The company is now on track to sell more than 500,000 cases in 2025 — with a full 90% of those sales coming from within Iowa.

In this episode, we sit down with Matt Swift, Big Grove’s co-founder and CEO, to find out how he’s building one of the most successful breweries in the country by doing things a little differently.

Matt shares how he:

• Built a best-selling product line in the Easy Eddy hazy IPA family 

• Created deep community ties through taprooms, university partnerships, and local philanthropy

• Took a deliberate “inch wide, mile deep” strategy — dominating in-state sales before expanding 

• Structured the portfolio into clearly defined product “families” that drive trial and loyalty at shelf

• Continued investing in draft sales, even as other craft brands pulled back

• Works with distributors as true partnerships, planning A&P budgets and activations 9 months out 

We also talk about the risks Matt wishes he’d taken earlier, how he approaches SKU rationalization, and why he believes lighter, lower-alc and non-alc beers will play a big part in the future of the category.

If you’re a beverage entrepreneur thinking about growth — whether via taprooms, retail, or distributor relationships — this episode is filled with battle-tested insights. Don’t miss it.

Last Call:

In this week’s sponsored Last Call, we talk with Alex Cherniavsky, Managing Partner at SWIG Partners, about how to turn new distributor relationships into long-term success.

SWIG is a supplier–distributor matchmaking service that’s placed dozens of brands — and Alex has seen what works (and what fails). In this episode, she shares the most common missteps and how to avoid them.

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on 8/13.

For the latest updates, follow us:

Business of Drinks:

YouTube

LinkedIn

Instagram @bizofdrinks

Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

LinkedIn

Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Instagram @borkaline

SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

Four years ago, Jamie Fay was hand-packing cases of beer, loading them into a pickup truck, and delivering them door to door across Southern California. Today, RationAle Brewing is one of the fastest-growing non-alcoholic craft beer brands in the country — tracking 150% year-over-year growth and on pace to sell over 100,000 cases this year.

In this episode, Jamie — RationAle’s co-founder and CEO — shares how he built the business by staying hyper-focused on product quality, consumer connection, and a smart go-to-market strategy that prioritized velocity over vanity metrics. With five core SKUs and a best-selling Mexican Lager that accounts for 40% of sales, RationAle is now in eight markets and is preparing to double that footprint in the next 12 months.

You’ll hear how Jamie broke into the system without a single VC check — closing $5 million from more than 90 individual investors. He also explains the critical role that an early partnership with a juice distributor played in unlocking retail access when traditional options weren’t available.

We also get into:

• Why going “a mile deep” in a few markets created the foundation for long-term growth

• How Jamie and his team built retail distribution through relentless in-store sampling and events

• The tactical playbook he uses to enter new markets with traction and credibility

• Lessons from raising capital in today’s environment — and how to survive thousands of rejections

• Why Jamie thinks founders need to be paranoid (in a good way) to succeed in this business

If you’re trying to build a beverage brand with purpose, hustle, and staying power — this episode is chock-full of insights.

Last Call:

Think you know who’s drinking THC beverages? Think again. In this week’s Last Call on we dig into a recent report from Sightlines — and the regional trends might surprise you. The big takeaway: This isn’t a coastal Gen Z trend. It’s a demographic mosaic across ages and earning levels — and brands need to localize their marketing strategies fast. Find out more.

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on Aug. 6.

For the latest updates, follow us:

Business of Drinks:

YouTube

LinkedIn

Instagram @bizofdrinks

Erica Duecy, co-host:

Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

LinkedIn

Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host:

Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. He currently serves as Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. He was formerly the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Caroline Lamb, contributor:

Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Instagram @borkaline

SPONSOR:

SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

What does it take to grow a wine brand to over 6 million cases a year — and keep it growing double digits in a declining category? In this episode, we sit down with Dan Kleinman, Chief Brand Officer at Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, to unpack how Josh Cellars has become one of the most remarkable success stories in modern wine.

Under Dan’s leadership, the Josh team has expanded beyond its loyal Gen X base to capture the attention of younger Millennial and Gen Z drinkers — leveraging storytelling, savvy innovation, and even a viral social media moment that led to a double-digit sales spike and cultural relevance.

You’ll hear:

• How the team transformed a humble Napa Cabernet with a heartfelt backstory into a top-selling national brand
  

• The strategy behind Josh’s “twin engine” approach: Staying meaningful to Gen X while becoming playful and culturally relevant to younger audiences
  

• How a viral meme sparked a massive surge in engagement, with Instagram followers jumping 79% in just weeks — and how the team capitalized on it
  

• Why Josh invests 5x more on consumer-facing marketing than the category norm — and how they measure ROI
  

• Why new products like the light, crisp Seaswept are created for younger consumers
  

• How to use data and consumer insights to craft messaging for different audiences — and avoid the “one-size-fits-all” trap
  

Dan also shares what drinks founders can learn about channel strategy, emotional brand-building, and why staying curious — about consumers, culture, and the craft of marketing — is essential to success.

If you’re a drinks entrepreneur looking to build a brand that resonates across generations, connects emotionally, and drives real-world growth, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Last Call:

🍷 Will AI take jobs in the drinks industry? In this Last Call segment, we explore how AI is already cutting white-collar jobs — and what that might mean for hospitality, sales, and brand roles.

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on July 30.

For the latest updates, follow us:

Business of Drinks:

YouTube

LinkedIn

Instagram @bizofdrinks

Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

LinkedIn

Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Instagram @borkaline

SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

Branca USA may steward some of the most iconic names in spirits — Fernet-Branca, Carpano Antica, Borghetti — but under Chris Watt’s leadership, this 180-year-old company is showing how heritage can be a springboard for modern growth.

Since taking the helm as CEO in 2022, Chris has built a lean, data-focused team of just 48 people to deliver outsized results: Selling more than 3 million bottles annually and growing faster than the overall spirits category — showing an 8% increase in both volume and value so far this year.

In this episode, Chris shares how his team is using sharp analytics, disciplined focus, and creative execution to transform Branca’s brands for today’s consumers — while staying true to the bartender culture that built them.

We discuss:

• The strategic shift that turned Borghetti into the fastest-growing coffee liqueur in the U.S., up 81% in volume in 2024

• Why Fernet-Branca’s biggest growth now comes from college towns and neighborhood bars, and how the brand has expanded beyond its trade-darling origins

• How Carpano Antica Formula became the gold standard for home and bar Manhattans — and why that traction was largely organic

• The “pilot fish” strategy: How Branca partners with the biggest brands in its distributors’ portfolios to drive sales, creating a “win-win” for the distributor

• How a Total Wine March Madness display and on-premise activations worked hand-in-hand to deliver a 40% sales spike in that month

• Why Chris believes data and focus — not massive budgets — are the keys to smart brand building today
  

Chris also opens up about the challenges of executing at speed with a small team, why he sets aside daily time for strategic planning, and the mindset he brings to building culture and growth simultaneously.

If you’re a drinks founder or operator looking to understand how to modernize a heritage brand — or grow in a tough market with limited resources — this episode offers practical, actionable insights you won’t want to miss.

Last Call: 

Caroline Lamb, Erica Duecy, and Scott Rosenbaum dig into surprising data from Brightfield Group and Sightlines about THC beverage consumption — and why higher dosage drinks are on the rise. Did you know: Some 60% of hemp-derived THC drinkers now reach for the 10mg dose, up ~18% in just two years?

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on July 23.

For the latest updates, follow us:

For the latest updates, follow us:

Business of Drinks:

LinkedIn

Instagram @bizofdrinks

Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

LinkedIn

Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. He currently serves as Head of Search at Distill Ventures. He was formerly the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Instagram @borkaline

SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to get your brand into a top distributor — and actually stay there — this episode is essential listening.

We sit down with Sara Harmelin, Vice President of Portfolio Development at Allied Beverage Group, one of the largest single-state alcohol distributors in the U.S. Operating exclusively in New Jersey, Allied works with virtually every major supplier — from Diageo and Bacardi to Heaven Hill and Pernod Ricard — and moves more than 15,000 SKUs across the state. Sara is the gatekeeper of innovation: every new brand, line extension, and emerging category goes through her team first.

In this episode, Sara pulls back the curtain on the realities of portfolio building in a high-volume, high-stakes environment. She shares what works, what doesn’t, and how brands can avoid being lost in the warehouse shuffle.

You’ll hear:

• Why Allied is betting big on hemp-derived THC — and what it means for the future of category expansion

• What founders need to know about timing, incentives, and sales buy-in to make a successful launch stick

• The portfolio committee process: how Sara brought in cross-functional decision-makers (including Gen Z) to vet brands from every angle

• How Allied uses reorder rates and “rep touches” to decide if a new brand is worth the shelf space

• Why 90-day launch plans — not splashy debuts — are the new industry standard for serious distributors

• The one thing Sara wants every founder to leave at the door — and what you should bring instead

This episode also hits on the deeper shifts shaping the future of drinks distribution — from how generational change is influencing category preferences, to why flexibility, empathy, and brand authenticity are more important than ever.

Whether you’re launching a brand or scaling one, Sara’s insights will help you position your product for long-term success inside the distributor system.

Link from the interview: WSWA Access Resource Library

Last Call:

🚨 What’s next in beverage? We went to BevNET Live 2025 to find out.

In this Last Call segment of Business of Drinks, co-host Erica Duecy breaks down her top takeaways from one of the industry’s most future-focused events:

🔸 Functional and low/no alcohol drinks? No longer niche. They’re the expectation.

🔸 Premiumization is alive and well — but only if you’ve got the product education and social proof to back it.

🔸 + More takeaways!

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on July 16.

For the latest updates, follow us:

Business of Drinks:

LinkedIn

Instagram @bizofdrinks

Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

LinkedIn

Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. He currently serves as Head of Search at Distill Ventures. He was formerly the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Instagram @borkaline

SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

Tablas Creek Vineyard isn’t just a winery — it’s a masterclass in how to lead with values and still grow. In this episode, we sit down with proprietor Jason Haas, one of the most respected voices in American wine, to explore how his team has scaled a brand that stands for integrity, innovation, and environmental stewardship.

Co-founded in 1989 by the Haas and Perrin families (of Château de Beaucastel fame), Tablas Creek pioneered Rhône varieties in Paso Robles and today remains at the forefront of sustainable winemaking. It was the first winery in the world to receive Regenerative Organic Certification. It’s also a powerful case study in direct-to-consumer success: Tablas Creek produces 30,000–35,000 cases annually, with 80% of its revenue coming from DTC sales.

In this episode, Jason shares:

• How they built Tablas Creek’s category leadership from an unsung region and grape portfolio

• The marketing shift that led to a 20% increase in DTC sales in 2024

• Why white wines are now driving growth

• How a single blog post led to a boxed rosé launch that sold out in four hours

• What it takes to maintain team culture and creative freedom in a growing 50-person organization

• His advice to founders on staying true to your brand—even when market trends tempt you to stray

Jason also explains why the $25–$40 price tier is outperforming other segments, and how Tablas Creek doubled its export business with just five well-timed market visits.

If you’re a founder or operator looking to build a brand that endures — while staying nimble and connected to your customer — this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

Last Call:

Co-hosts Erica Duecy and Scott Rosenbaum break down the most important takeaways from Bar Convent Brooklyn. A few highlights:

🍸 RNDC’s impending CA closure shook the room — and the distributors on stage didn’t sugarcoat what’s ahead.

🚨 New reality: Every initial sale is a liability — unless your product moves fast.

🧊 Coffee spirits everywhere. We’re still not done with espresso martinis, apparently.

💰 Launching a spirits brand in 2025? Hope you have $1M.

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on July 9.

For the latest updates, follow us:

Business of Drinks:

YouTube

LinkedIn

Instagram @bizofdrinks

Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

LinkedIn

Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Instagram @borkaline

SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

On this episode of Business of Drinks, we sit down with Nick Papanicolaou, the founder and CEO of No Sleep Beverage, one of the most dynamic early-stage strategic investment platforms in the beverage alcohol space. Nick has deployed millions in capital across brands like Madre Mezcal, Barr Hill Gin, and Artet — and in this candid conversation, he outlines exactly what founders need to know to secure funding, navigate investor relationships, and build a beverage brand with staying power.

Before launching No Sleep, Nick built his expertise from both sides of the table — first as a founder of a brand, then as the architect of Pernod Ricard’s New Brand Ventures division. With No Sleep, he’s developed an investment and acceleration model that prioritizes deep engagement with just 8–10 brands at a time, helping them optimize everything from brand positioning to sales strategy to compliance and legal.

Nick doesn’t just hand out checks — he and his team roll up their sleeves and work side-by-side with founders to turn smart brand into scalable businesses. In today’s tight funding environment, that kind of partnership is increasingly rare — and invaluable.

We cover:

• The No Sleep criteria: What revenue thresholds, margin profiles, and market presence VCs are really looking for
  

• What founders get wrong when pitching for investment — and how to stand out
  

• The death of “growth for growth’s sake” and what sustainable scaling actually looks like
  

• Why No Sleep takes a “slow and steady wins the race” approach to expansion
  

• How founders should think about valuation and and share of equity as they bring on funding partners

Whether you’re just starting out or navigating a critical growth stage, this episode delivers a rare look behind the scenes of what top beverage VCs really want — and how to prepare your brand to succeed.

Last Call: 

Are celebrity spirits past their prime? In our latest Last Call segment, we dig into a new report from 3 Tier Beverages showing that only 16 of the top 50 celebrity-backed brands are still growing. It’s a candid convo for any drinks founder or marketer asking: Is celebrity still a smart strategy? Or has the novelty worn off?

Link to 3 Tier Beverages report recap. 

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on July 2.

For the latest updates, follow us:

Business of Drinks:

LinkedIn

Instagram @bizofdrinks

Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

LinkedIn

Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. He currently serves as Head of Search at Distill Ventures. He was formerly the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Instagram @borkaline

SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

Welcome to a very special edition of Business of Drinks. In this episode, co-hosts Erica Duecy and Scott Rosenbaum team up with Rabobank’s Liquid Assets podcast hosts — VP of Beverage Research Bourcard Nesin and Senior Beverage Analyst Jim Watson — for the first-ever Bev-Alc Debate Club.

Today’s topic? The question that’s haunting boardrooms and bottling lines across the country: What’s wrong with the alcohol industry?

To unpack it, we went head-to-head in a spirited draft format. Each of us chose what we believe is the biggest force behind Bev-Alc’s current decline — and then we debated the heck out of it.

What followed was a lively, insightful, and at times contrarian conversation that spanned:

• 🚨 The Joe Rogan Effect: How anti-alcohol messages from influencers like Rogan and Andrew Huberman — and warnings from the WHO and Surgeon General — are changing perceptions of health and drinking.
  

• 🧠 The Culture Shift: 65% of 18–34-year-olds now say even a drink or two a day is bad for their health, according to Gallup. That’s more than double the rate in 2000.
  

• 🛒 Economic Drag: Is inflation the real culprit behind alcohol’s decline — or are consumers simply moving on?
  

• 🏪 The Distribution Bottleneck: Fewer distributors, more producers, and how small brands are being squeezed out of market access and innovation.
  

• 🥂 Post-Pandemic Hangover: How loneliness, digital substitution, and behavioral shifts may be eroding alcohol’s social role.
  

• 🌱 Rise of THC Drinks: Hemp-derived beverages are showing up in bars, liquor stores, and homes — with strong demand. Brands like BRĒZ hit $28 million in revenue and 8 million cans in just two years.
  

• 📉 Demographic Realities: Baby Boomers drank more and are aging out. Gen Z drinks less. What happens when your best customers are literally dying off?
  

• 📱 New Hits, Same High: Gambling, doomscrolling, and a million digital dopamine-stimulating sources are competing for the same brainspace alcohol once dominated.
  

This episode is a must-listen for anyone in the beverage business — whether you’re trying to understand the shifting terrain or figure out how to future-proof your brand.

🎧 Tune in for sharp insights, bold takes, and the kind of data-backed banter that only happens when Rabobank meets Business of Drinks. 

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on June 25.

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Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

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Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. He currently serves as Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. He was formerly the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

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Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

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Instagram @borkaline

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