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By Tom Wark, Executive Director, National Association of Wine Retailers Politics breed myths. This has always been the case as politics is, at its most fundamental, a form of storytelling. So it should be no surprise that myths have arisen as various elements of the wine industry have fought against consumers and specialty wine retailer seeking […]

Colorado enacted changes to the state’s Retail Delivery Fee (RDF) effective in May, which should provide some relief to wineries engaged in direct-to-consumer (DtC) wine shipping in the state. The RDF was adopted by Colorado in 2022 as a 27-cent fee that applied to all retail sales that involved the delivery of goods using motorized […]

Direct-to-consumer (DtC) wine shipping represents 12% of total off-premise domestic wine sales, totaling $4.1 billion in 2022. It’s no wonder that wineries from across the country are looking to expand their reach by shipping their bottles to consumers in every corner of the nation. In response, we’ve seen an increasing number of third-party shipping businesses […]

Direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipping of wine comes in two general categories: on-site and off-site. Both ultimately involve the use of a third-party common carrier to fulfill an order by a consumer, but they differ in how the consumer places their order. “On-site” DtC shipments are those where the consumer was physically present at the winery’s premises […]

A wide variety of speakers and presentations addressed some of the major issues affecting the wine industry at the 2023 Sovos ShipCompliant Wine Summit, which took place in Napa on April 19-20. Some of the highlights from the 18th annual event are presented below. Sovos ShipCompliant updates Larry Cormier, vice president and general manager, Sovos […]

Earlier this week, Nebraska lawmakers passed a bill that would update the state’s liquor laws. State Senator John Lowe introduced LB376, which passed with a 41-0 vote. Under the bill, Nebraska will now create a brand registration for the state’s Liquor Control Commission to accurately identify and track alcoholic products imported into the state. This […]

For craft beer lovers, expanded direct-to-consumer (DtC) beer shipping is at the top of their wish list, according to the third annual Direct to Consumer Beer Shipping Report. Released last month by Sovos ShipCompliant in partnership with the Brewers Association, the data showed that 88% of regular craft beer drinkers believe there should be greater […]

It’s no secret that non-alcoholic beer is having a moment, and the segment is pointing to continued growth. First Key reports that dollar sales of non-alcohol (NA) beer, wine and spirits brands doubled between 2020 and 2022, with non-alcoholic beer accounting for over 80% of the market share of the category. What was once a […]

Taxes are one of the primary compliance concerns for direct-to-consumer (DtC) shippers of wine, and one of the more complex ones. The 47 states, plus D.C., that permit DtC shipping of alcohol want to ensure there is parity between alcohol sold in-state and any coming from out-of-state sources. So, if a bottle of wine is […]

Kentucky just entered its third year of DtC alcohol shipping, opening doors for wineries, breweries and distilleries to expand their product reach. The change was especially welcomed by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA), which helped craft and guide the landmark DtC bill in 2020 that established these permissions. Founded in 1880, the KDA is the […]

Sovos ShipCompliant’s recent 2023 Direct-to-Consumer (DtC) Wine Shipping Report, released with our partner Wines Vines Analytics, showed the first-ever decline in both value (-1.6%) and volume (-10.3%) of shipments. While these numbers are concerning, it’s important to look at the industry in its entirety and keep in mind the overall context of pandemic responses from […]

While the first annual Direct-to-Consumer (DtC) Spirits Shipping Report, presented by Sovos ShipCompliant and the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA), found that 80% of regular craft spirits drinkers would purchase spirits for DtC shipping monthly if permitted in their state, it’s not necessarily as apparent to producers how they can legally ship spirits DtC. We’ve […]

Craft beer drinkers want expanded direct-to-consumer (DtC) beer shipping options, and if recent pieces of legislation are any indication, they may soon start to get that wish. Currently, several states have introduced bills that could expand the DtC alcohol shipping landscape for breweries and wineries alike. Expanded DtC beer, wine & spirits shipping – by […]

Craft beer drinkers want their beer shipped DtC—legally—and they are willing to pay for it. Those are among the conclusions of the third annual Direct-to-Consumer (DtC) Beer Shipping Report, released this March by Sovos ShipCompliant in partnership with the Brewers Association. The report includes a regulatory review of the DtC beer shipping channel, the latest […]

By Andrew Adams, Editor, Wine Analytics Report The winery market has entered the next era of DtC wine shipping, where we saw total shipments for the past year declined 1.6% by value and 10.3% by volume. While the declines are unprecedented in the more than 12 years Wines Vines Analytics and Sovos ShipCompliant have tracked […]

In the month following the release of the 2023 Direct-to-Consumer Wine Shipping Report, several other data snapshots of the wine industry were also published. In response to the various reports, there has been a swell of commentary on what each one signals for the health of and outlook for the U.S. wine industry. It can […]

Sovos ShipCompliant attended the recent American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) Convention. Celebrating its 10th year, ACSA once again brought together “distillers and suppliers to harness the energy of the industry.” Direct-to-consumer (DtC) alcohol shipping was a recurring theme at the convention, with multiple panels discussing what changes must take place to increase DtC spirits shipping […]

If you ask a beverage alcohol regulator what their biggest concern is, nine times out of ten, you’ll hear about efforts to prevent sales to minors. The health risks associated with alcohol, particularly for developing brains, validate those concerns, but there is something of a reflexive response around underage consumption—a response grounded more in fear […]