Blog

I recently had the privilege of speaking on a panel at the National Conference of State Liquor Administrators (NCSLA) Annual Conference, a regular meeting of regulators, attorneys and other members of the beverage alcohol industry to discuss important issues affecting our trade. Alongside Claire Mitchell, of Stoel Rives, and Erlinda Doherty, of Vinicola Consulting, and […]

Guest blog written by Susan DeMatei, President, WineGlass Marketing WineGlass Marketing recently conducted a study to explore how Millennials and Gen X feel about wine, wine culture and wine country. The goal was to gain insight into how we can make wine, wine club and wine country appealing to these new audiences. Here are just […]

The New York legislature recently passed A3132A, a bill that will expand the range of products that residents of the state can have direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipped to them. The bill is now in the hands of Governor Kathy Hochul—meaning that unless she decides to exercise her veto power, producers across the country will soon be […]

Over May 8-9, Sovos ShipCompliant hosted its 19th annual Wine Summit. For two days, wine makers, managers, consultants, attorneys and other industry members gathered at the Napa Valley Marriott to hear from a cavalcade of experts on regulatory and marketing advice and updates related to the wine industry.  19th annual Wine Summit Recap from Presenters […]

Often, the first thing you notice about a beverage alcohol product is the label. The typeface, imagery and colors used were all meticulously chosen to say something about the product and brand. But it takes more than an eye for graphic design to create a beverage alcohol label. There are several regulatory concerns at play […]

Why is it that direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipping of wine is available nearly nationwide, but is only available in a dozen or so states for beer and even fewer for spirits? This is the question that underscored a recent panel I participated in alongside Steve Gross, VP of state relations for Wine Institute, and Sam DeWitt, […]

While only 11 states and D.C. allow direct-to-consumer (DtC) beer shipping, more than half of Americans ages 21+ (51%) would purchase more craft beer if they were able to have it shipped directly to their home. In this blog, we discuss the top three reasons why craft beer drinkers want beer sent directly to them […]

2024 is shaping up to be a banner year for legislative efforts related to the direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipping of beverage alcohol. While these proposed laws span a range of legal issues, the primary driver of the bills is expanding access to the DtC market for beer and spirits producers. Currently, 47 states and D.C. permit […]

Direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipping has become one of the leading sales models for businesses of all sizes and in all markets. The idea of connecting directly with consumers is notably attractive, as it helps brands develop a personal relationship and avoid costly distribution chains. Yet, for all its popularity, DtC is often a hard concept to […]

This March, Sovos ShipCompliant released the fourth annual Direct-to-Consumer Beer Shipping Report in partnership with the Brewers Association. The DtC beer shipping report features exclusive insights on the regulatory state of the direct-to-consumer (DtC) channel, Brewers Association’s perspective and key data from a consumer preferences survey. Let’s take a deeper dive into some of the […]

This bill was signed into law on March 28, 2024 and takes effect July 1, 2024. Florida wine lovers could soon enjoy a bigger selection of bottles based on a recent bill passed by the state’s legislature (HR 583) that would remove the existing cap on wine bottle sizes. What is Florida’s HR 583 bill? […]

By Andrew Adams, Editor, Wine Analytics Report With another year of winery direct-to-consumer shipments tallied and analyzed, the state of Washington was the only major region tracked by Sovos ShipCompliant and WineBusiness Analytics to enjoy growth over the previous year. Compared to 2022, shipment value by Washington’s wineries grew 11% to $187 million while volume […]

A number of recent lawsuits filed by beverage alcohol producers have raised new interest in self-distribution rights, an often-overlooked area of the industry. Self-distribution is when a supplier of alcohol, such as an importer or domestic manufacturer, is authorized to sell directly to retailers without having to work with a wholesaler to get their products […]

Last month, Sovos ShipCompliant and WineBusiness Analytics released the 2024 Direct-to-Consumer Wine Shipping Report, marking the fourteenth consecutive collaboration between the two companies. Alex Koral and Andrew Adams presented an overview of the data and analysis from the report, highlighting key trends and statistics. Here, we summarize some of the noteworthy findings starting with the […]

Sovos ShipCompliant recently released the 2024 Direct-to-Consumer (DtC) Wine Shipping Report with our partner, WineBusiness Analytics. This look-back at 2023 is the most comprehensive, complete and exclusive collection of data and insights on the state of the DtC channel. While DtC wine shipments saw a decline in volume for the second year in a row, […]

I had the pleasure and privilege of attending the 2024 Direct to Consumer (DTC) Wine Symposium (DTCWS) to speak on the past and future of the direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipping market. As an annual event, DTCWS provides our industry with a regular opportunity to reflect on market conditions and connect on ways we can all help build […]

2024 has not yet begun but there are some potential upcoming regulatory changes affecting the direct-to-consumer (DtC) wine shipping market that we’re already tracking. The first is Wisconsin SB 268, a major overhaul of the state’s beverage alcohol laws. Since the bill was signed by the governor earlier this month, the question is not so […]

As 2023 comes to a close, now is a great time to review the regulatory changes that impacted the beverage alcohol industry this year. From California’s bottle bill to the  direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipping legal battles that occurred around the country, a lot has happened this year. These updates were covered in a webinar hosted by […]