Drinks Insider

There’s a wine downturn going on, and yet The Wine Group, America’s second-largest wine company, is snapping up brands like the market is expanding. Felicity Carter speaks with CEO John Sutton, who explains why he remains bullish on wine even as headlines warn of slowdown. Earlier this year, The Wine Group bought a suite of Constellation Brands labels, including Meiomi, Robert Mondavi Private Selection and Woodbridge, plus vineyards and production facilities — a deal Sutton describes as both a vote of confidence and a deliberate decision to consolidate scale. He discusses how the company rehabilitates neglected brands, the growth of private label in the US, and why premiumisation still matters despite pressure on value wines. Sutton also outlines how portfolio segmentation works inside a business with more than 60 brands, when to divest rather than persist, and how alternative packaging such as boxed wine and single-serve formats are reshaping consumer behaviour. The conversation ranges from Gen Z’s cross-category drinking habits to the rise of “better-for-you” low- and no-alcohol wines, and the surprising growth of very high-alcohol styles. Sutton also explains The Wine Group’s longer-term ambitions in spirits and functional beverages, while keeping the focus on wine innovation, channel expansion, and premiumisation. And don’t forget to sign up to the Drinks Insider newsletter! Meet your host: Felicity Carter is an award-winning wine and drinks journalist, editor, speaker trainer and content strategist. She led Meininger’s Wine Business International to become the world’s most must-read wine trade magazine, and was founding Executive Editor of The Drop/Pix, which the Wall Street Journal named one of the most trusted sources of wine information. A regular keynote speaker at international events, she was named a 2024 Industry Leader by WineBusiness Monthly.

How did a scrappy idea born in a London garage turn into one of the world’s most recognisable oat milk brands? From the early days of KeepCup to building the first shelf-stable cold brew, Stuart shares the hard truths about entrepreneurship in food and drink — wafer-thin margins, constant reinvention, and the sheer expense of creating a new category. Their conversation dives into the evolution of plant-based beverages, the chaotic launch into the US market during the Great Oat Milk Shortage, and the role of timing, luck, and relentless work. Stuart is candid about investor relationships, the bruising challenges of scaling internationally, and why Minor Figures doesn't just sell oak milk — it sells attitude. And also why oat milk is the perfect pairing with coffee. Key moments:00:52 How creating a product that fits seamlessly into existing workflows, like KeepCup’s size matching disposable cups, can drive rapid adoption.11:28 The virtues of launching with a “minimum lovable product” rather than a minimum viable one.12:11 How commercial failure can still attract big players if you’re solving a technical problem no one else has cracked.21:07 In beverage distribution, you often need to create demand first so that distributors are willing to carry you.24:08 Proving product-market fit comes before scaling local production, even if international shipping is costly.25:52 External shocks like tariffs can create operational drama, so resilient supply chains are essential.27:54 Winning over industry tastemakers (like roasters) can cascade into broader adoption through their networks.34:47 Investor partners who genuinely love the product often provide more support and better terms than purely financial backers.39:50 Growth can overwhelm back-office systems, so prepare for scaling pain long before you need it.49:59 New categories are extremely expensive to grow, so anchoring your product in a passionate community is critical. And don’t forget to sign up to the Drinks Insider newsletter! Meet your host: Felicity Carter is an award-winning wine and drinks journalist, editor, speaker trainer and content strategist. She led Meininger’s Wine Business International to become the world’s most must-read wine trade magazine, and was founding Executive Editor of The Drop/Pix, which the Wall Street Journal named one of the most trusted sources of wine information. A regular keynote speaker at international events, she was named a 2024 Industry Leader by WineBusiness Monthly.

What actually happens when the alcohol industry gets a seat at the global health table? In this episode, Julian Braithwait, the former UK ambassador to the UN and now Director General of the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking, lays out how international alcohol policy is made and contested. From WHO mandates to temperance NGOs and the upcoming UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs, this wide-ranging discussion explores why “no safe level” is a political slogan, not a scientific consensus and what’s at stake if the global policy framework shifts away from managing harmful drinking. Topics Covered: What IARD is and how it works with global institutions The difference between WHO Geneva and its regional offices What ECOSOC status actually allows industry to do How the alcohol sector is reforming digital marketing The science behind “no safe level” and why it's controversial Influence of Bloomberg and Gates Foundation in WHO policy The risk of a Framework Convention on Alcohol Control Illicit alcohol and emerging market risks How temperance groups gained formal recognition Why upcoming UN resolutions could change everything And don’t forget to sign up to the Drinks Insider newsletter! Meet your host: Felicity Carter is an award-winning wine and drinks journalist, editor, speaker trainer and content strategist. She led Meininger’s Wine Business International to become the world’s most must-read wine trade magazine, and was founding Executive Editor of The Drop/Pix, which the Wall Street Journal named one of the most trusted sources of wine information. A regular keynote speaker at international events, she was named a 2024 Industry Leader by WineBusiness Monthly.

Allison Luvera, co-founder of Juliet, joins Drinks Insider to talk about how she  built a premium boxed wine brand in the US. She reveals how pandemic insights led to launching Eco-Magnum, how her background in fashion and at Pernod Ricard shaped strategy, and the reality of creating a new wine packaging format. Allison explains fundraising challenges, distribution hurdles, and why direct-to-consumer is vital for proof of concept. She shares lessons on hiring, influencer marketing, customer insights, and what it takes to premiumise boxed wine in a sceptical market. 00:20 Allison realised during the pandemic that boxed wine offered convenience but lacked premium quality and branding. 01:30 Seeing boxed wine as eco-friendly drove Juliet’s mission to premiumise the format for aspirational consumers. 05:12 Despite a wine marketing background, Allison had to build supply chain knowledge from scratch through her network. 06:57 Juliet created its own cylindrical Eco-Magnum packaging to stand out in retail and convey luxury. 10:52 Allison did an MBA before launching Juliet to gain operations, finance, and fundraising skills. 15:30 Their first fundraising round started with family and friends before expanding to angels and family offices. 23:16 Distributors initially resisted because they wanted proof of retail success before onboarding Juliet. 29:33 For their first hire, Juliet prioritised marketing support while founders did direct sales themselves. 33:30 DTC data revealed their customer is predominantly women under 44, including strong suburban demand. 45:53 Allison warns founders not to enter alcohol without understanding compliance, distribution, and category nuance. And don’t forget to sign up to the Drinks Insider newsletter! Meet your host: Felicity Carter is an award-winning wine and drinks journalist, editor, speaker trainer and content strategist. She led Meininger’s Wine Business International to become the world’s most must-read wine trade magazine, and was founding Executive Editor of The Drop/Pix, which the Wall Street Journal named one of the most trusted sources of wine information. A regular keynote speaker at international events, she was named a 2024 Industry Leader by WineBusiness Monthly.

What happens when two friends in their twenties get fed up with syrupy energy drinks and decide to invent a caffeinated water that actually tastes like water? Orka founders Michael Moriarty and Nash Hale join Drinks Insider to talk about their journey from college roommates to beverage entrepreneurs. They reveal how they raised $355K in friends-and-family money, endured a year of catastrophic production failures, and finally cracked the code for manufacturing a clear pressurised can — just in time to ride a viral wave on Amazon. We cover: The unglamorous truth about energy drink flavour fatigue Why beverage manufacturing is a form of hazing What a "seaming consultant" actually does How TikTok and a well-timed tweet changed everything The upsides and downsides of selling on Amazon Why they chose the name Orka and how they almost didn’t If you’re dreaming of launching a drink brand, this is a must-listen. 00:05 — Intro to the Orka story and what happened when the WSJ found out 03:18 — “Why not just put caffeine in water?”: the founding insight 06:18 — They backed into health by chasing simplicity, not wellness 09:01 — Time to start a beverage company! 10:48 — The 150mg caffeine challenge and why flavour houses balked 12:35 — Panic attacks from over-caffeinated taste testing 18:04 — The transparent plastic can that nearly killed the business 21:08 — Every production run failed for a year. Here’s why. 23:24 — How close they came to shutting it all down 26:10 — Selling on Amazon: upsides, pitfalls, and inventory anxiety 30:26 — What happened a...

What kind of founder quits a high-paying tech job to launch a single-SKU wine brand in an unfamiliar package — and manages to raise $1.4 million to do it? In this episode, Felicity talks to Daniel Rodriguez, founder of Currently Wine Co., a Sauvignon Blanc from California’s Central Coast packaged in an aluminium bottle. The packaging isn’t just a gimmick: it’s core to the bigger mission of lowering the carbon footprint of wine while supporting nearshore environmental projects, from oyster bed regeneration to coral reef restoration. Daniel explains how he: Raised nearly $1 million from friends and former colleagues in a friends-and-family round Opened up a second round via crowdfunding to let everyday consumers invest Acquired the assets of ProudPour and turned them into a more focused brand Solved the technical nightmare of bottling wine in aluminium with a closure nobody had standardised Chose to launch with just one wine, in one region, despite distributor pressure to go wide We also cover: Why distribution is the biggest bottleneck for new wine brands The branding lessons he brought over from tech (and why wine needs to catch up) The rigorous taste-testing process behind the wine itself—and why he scrapped several early blends Whether you're a founder, investor, distributor, or just curious about how wine brands actually get built, this is a rare, nuts-and-bolts conversation about what it really takes to launch something new in a saturated market. Mentioned in this episode: Currently Wine Republic (crowdfunding platform) Drinks Insider newsletter — it's great! Sign up now Meet your host: Felicity Carter is an award-winning wine and drinks journalist, editor, speaker trainer and content strategist. She led Meininger’s Wine Business International to become the world’s most must-read wine trade magazine, and was founding Executive Editor of The Drop/Pix, which the Wall Street Journal named one of the most trusted sources of wine information. A regular keynote speaker at international events, she was named a 2024 Industry Leader by WineBusiness Monthly.

Christian Miller, Research Director at the Wine Market Council and founder of Full Glass Research, joins Felicity Carter to explore changes in wine consumption. With decades of market research behind him, Christian outlines how economic, cultural, and demographic shifts are shaping the way Americans approach wine. From the decline of traditional wine drinkers to the rise of hybrid and alternative alcohol products, the conversation covers a range of factors that are altering the market. Christian also examines the role of gender, income, and ethnicity in changing wine preferences, and discusses why some long-standing assumptions no longer hold true. Whether you're in the wine trade or just curious about consumer behavior, this episode offers a grounded and data-driven perspective on the future of wine. This episode covers: Key reasons behind the recent decline in US wine consumption Differences between generational attitudes toward wine The effect of economic pressure and wellness trends on alcohol buying How wine's unique position has been diluted by market competition Results from category shifting and consumer behavior research Emerging demographic and ethnic shifts in wine consumption Gender-specific perceptions of wine among younger drinkers Consumer response to packaging formats like cans and boxes Prospects for wine labeling, transparency, and simplified consumer guidance Meet your host: Felicity Carter is an award-winning wine and drinks journalist, editor, speaker trainer and content strategist. She led Meininger’s Wine Business International to become the world’s most must-read wine trade magazine, and was founding Executive Editor of The Drop/Pix, which the Wall Street Journal named one of the most trusted sources of wine information. A regular keynote speaker, she was named a 2024 Industry Leader by WineBusiness Monthly.

How can wine businesses innovate while remaining true to tradition? Jonathan Steyn, convener of the Wine Business Management and Hospitality Leadership program at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business, offers a way forward, grounded in both practical experience and academic rigour. An expert in market creation and innovation, he addresses everything from overcoming traditional mindsets to navigating global market shifts and connecting with new generations. He gave lots of practical advice on: How to unlock wine innovation How to bust up silos and get teams to work together The strength of weak ties — why sector cooperation is essential The two faces of innovation: the incremental versus the radical Spotting the Blue Ocean opportunity Marketing to the next generation and the importance of transcendent values Navigating wine consumption cycles The importance of updating the leadership structure and Innovation on a shoestring budget! Meet your host: Felicity Carter is an award-winning wine and drinks journalist, editor, speaker trainer and content strategist. She led Meininger’s Wine Business International to become the world’s most must-read wine trade magazine, and was founding Executive Editor of The Drop/Pix, which the Wall Street Journal named one of the most trusted sources of wine information. A regular keynote speaker, she was named a 2024 Industry Leader by WineBusiness Monthly.

It gets you drunk, hungover and sick. And yet we go back for more. What’s the attraction of alcohol? According to Professor Edward Slingerland, author of Drunk: How We Sipped, Stumbled, and Danced Our Way to Civilization, alcohol is the key to civilisation. In this insightful episode of Drinks Insider, he tells host Felicity Carter that much of what we think about alcohol is false. We did not, for example, develop a taste for it because over-ripe, fermenting fruit has more calories. Nor did we value it primarily as a way of rendering dirty water safe to drink. Instead, it’s a cultural technology that helped early humans forge larger cooperative societies, overcoming the limitations of small-group living. Without it, we’d never have learned to trust strangers. In this episode of Drinks Insider, Prof. Slingerland discusses: Why the standard evolutionary “mistake” theories of alcohol are wrong How our thirst for beer was probably the driving force behind the development of agriculture Why we value alcohol as a form of social glue How alcohol helps drive creativity and novel thinking Why humans have been complaining about drinking for centuries How alcohol won against other intoxicants like cannabis Professor Slingerland argues that alcohol's benefits in fostering social cohesion and creativity have been fundamental to the development of human civilisation, even if modern high-strength options present new challenges. #DrinksInsider #Podcast #AlcoholHistory #Civilization #EdwardSlingerland #ScienceOfDrinking #SocialDrinking #Creativity #MythsBusted #FelicityCarter #DrinksPodcast  

Who created the Finnish long drink? When did Finns start drinking wine? And how does wine get into their glasses? At a time of market turbulence, when wineries are looking for new export markets, why not consider Finland? And for anybody interested, the person to talk to is Heidi Mäkinen MW, Portfolio Manager and Partner at Viinitie importing company. She’s the former Best Sommelier of Finland and a well-known WSET educator. She talks sommeliers and Finland’s restaurant scene, why the Finns love acidity in their drinks so much, and how the wine market works. Plus, Heidi has great insights into the on-trade market generally.

The first time Natalie Wang drank wine she found it ‘rancid’. Today, Natalie is Southeast Asia’s leading voice for the wine trade. She began as a hard news journalist for outlets like the International Herald Tribune and Reuters, before moving to work with James Suckling, which opened her eyes to the world of fine wine. In 2019 she founded Vino-Joy, a wine trade magazine based in Hong Kong, which offers business-focused coverage of the Asian wine market, addressing a major gap in the English language media. After attracting significant attention, Don St Pierre invested in the fledgling company, which is now a research house as well as a media outlet. In this episode, Natalie explains the unique challenges and opportunities of the Chinese wine market, highlighting its significant contraction since 2020 and the shift from a gifting and banquet-driven market to one with a growing base of younger consumers interested in categories like off-dry Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. She discusses the decline in Bordeaux sales and a rise in interest in Chinese domestic wines. The episode further explores emerging wine markets in Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand. Altogether the conversation is a comprehensive overview of the Asian wine market from an insider’s perspective.

Morten Sørensen is the man behind ISH Spirits, a revolutionary line of non-alcoholic drinks that have taken the beverage world by storm — including listings on the Michelin-starred menus at 11 Park Madison and Alchemy. And he’s done the unthinkable, like partnering with car companies. In this entertaining episode, Morten shares his journey from running a creative agency in Copenhagen to travelling the world as a digital nomad, to identifying a gap in the market for mindful drinking. Despite knowing absolutely nothing about beverages, he set out to create drinks that would make it easy to participate in every social occasion, with or without alcohol. He discusses how he developed non-alc spirits that mimic the taste and experience of their alcoholic counterparts, and what it takes to get that first export order, including the need to get to the airport fast. He reveals what he’s got in his warehouse, and why knowing someone who is handy with carpentry is a must for start-ups. He also reveals how he secured those initial supermarket deals to pioneering marketing activations with car companies and music festivals. And, finally, he reveals what it is that makes Denmark such a creative powerhouse for beverages. Drinks Insider comes out every two weeks. If you can't wait that long between episodes, check out my other bi-weekly podcast, A Question of Drinks. My co-host Lulie Halstead and I explore a drinks question each week. Think of us as the Freakonomics of drinks.

Everybody says they want to attract a new generation of consumers to wine, but Jess Druey’s gone and done it. In this episode of Drinks Insider she tells the unlikely story of how a college dropout launched a wine brand at 22, after Googling how to make wine. From getting her Mom to help package and send the bottles to partnership with the McBride Sisters, to taking home the $250,000 first prize on Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars, this is one of the unlikeliest stories in wine. But it works. Jess honed her skills at Red Bull, and she brings her relentless focus on social media and community building to Whiny Baby, along with a completely new way of looking at packaging. If you need some inspiration, this is the episode for you. Jess shows that there’s a new consumer group out there who is not just open to wine — they’re waiting to hear more. [2:08] Jess discusses the brand lessons she learned at Red Bull. [5:10] The impetus for Whiny Baby and how she developed the brand. [10:54] Early experiences, mistakes and reversals. [14:13] Jess explains how she got her strategic partnership with the McBride sisters. [28:58] Jess talks about her experience on Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars and that quarter of a million dollars.  [52:07] How to build a social community who’ve got your back and will help you develop your brand. Your Host, Felicity Carter Based in Europe, Felicity Carter is a well-known journalist, editor and researcher. Among other roles, she is currently Editorial Director of Areni Global, the fine wine think tank headquartered in London. Previously, she was founding Executive Editor of The Drop at Pix, editorial consultant for Liv-ex, and Editor in Chief of Meininger’s Wine Business International, which she built into the world’s premier business publication, with subscribers in 38 countries. Her work has appeared in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald newspapers in Australia, and in The Guardian US, among many others.  She was named a 2024 Industry Leader by WineBusiness Monthly. And her other podcast is A Question of Drinks with the fabulous Lulie Halstead. It’s like the Freakonomics of Drinks. Check it out!

The wine trade is facing its worst trading conditions in 30 years — but it doesn’t have to be that way. That’s according to long-time wine industry observer and well-known journalist Jeff Siegel, who’s been immersed in the US market for going on 40 years. This alternate title for this episode could be ‘Bitchin’ With Jeff’ as he offers his no-holds-barred take on what’s gone wrong and why. Is there any hope? He says yes, and outlines what needs to be done to appeal to new consumers while retaining the old ones, and securing the future of wine for at least another generation. In this episode of Drinks Insider we discuss: [00:10:00] Premiumization, a term coined around 2010-2012. It’s the idea that Americans wanted to drink 'better' wine, leading to a focus on more expensive bottles, which increased margins for wineries, growers and retailers, but pushed out affordable options. [00:14:09] The wine market has become very brand-focused and consumers are now brand loyal. But as the big brands become more homogenous and take up more shelf space, consumer choice is being narrowed. [00:21:58] The restaurant industry's focus on high-priced wine to make up for costs has also hurt the industry, with many restaurants now selling poor-quality wine at high prices, with little appeal to consumers. [00:28:21] How the wine trade can woo back entry-level wine drinkers. [00:31:59] Despite a current grape glut, the moment for another "Two Buck Chuck" style wine is gone because the wine business has changed.  [00:41:08] Jeff knows exactly when the temperance movement re-emerged and why. Sounds like fun? It is! It’s a lively conversation with someone who knows what they’re talking about and who can point the way forward. And don’t miss the next episode, with Jess Druey, founder of Whiny Baby, who is living proof that a different approach can bring a whole new audience to wine.  

Prohibition didn’t begin as Prohibition. It was a bottom-up movement embraced by working people but seized on by temperance campaigners, who turned it into a disastrous social experiment that’s a byword for authoritarian overreach. Prof Dan Malleck from Brock University in Canada is a medical historian who has studied Prohibition and its fall-out and charted the rise of the contemporary neo-temperance movement. In this special Drinks Insider episode, Dan discusses the history of the temperance movement, highlighting its moral and economic underpinnings, and compares it to the current neo-temperance movement. He critiques their selective use of research, particularly the attempt to undermine J-curve research, that associates moderate drinking with lower mortality. This episode explores the unintended consequences of prohibitionist policies, both historically and in contemporary contexts such as Australia's tobacco control measures. The conversation does a deep dive into the question of how to balance public health concerns with individual liberty.

Want to know about trends in the US beverage alcohol market? And not just drinks trends, but how they dovetail with broader social trends? Then Bryan Roth, analyst extraordinaire, is your man. In this episode he talks about confusion, convenience and the “invisible barrier of choice” and explains why the market is in a tailspin right now. And did you know that carbonation is a trend? That’s right — there are people who know what they like when it comes to the tingle on the tongue, and seek exactly that sensation, and not a bubble more. The episode also touches on the rise of flavored Canadian whiskey, the continued growth of RTDs, the shift to day drinking, and the impact of multi-generational living. Finally, we turn to the topic of cannabis. To get more great insights from Bryan, go to https://www.sightlines.news/sign-up and type INSIDER on the signup page, for a free month of Sightlines.  

It’s time to do a deep dive into wine export markets! Joris Snelten, CEO of Delta Wines, knows everything about the Netherlands—Delta Wines is not just a major wine importer and distributor that handles more than 80 million bottles, it also has a presence in Belgium, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Finland. Joris talks about how he got into wine, and the journey of a European wine professional. He also explains how the Dutch wine market works from supermarkets and wine shops to online retailers—and reveals that Holland is moving from a beer and spirits market to a wine one. After touring the Netherlands, the conversation moves into Belgium, Eastern Europe and the Nordic monopoly markets.   

Alba Hough isn’t just president of the Icelandic Sommelier Association and chief production officer of Himibri Gin. She’s also the coolest woman in wine. In this wide-ranging conversation, Alb talks about her unexpected career path in wine, including her participation in international sommelier competitions. She also discusses how Iceland’s unique food and wine culture was shaped by its history, geography and tourism — and reveals a unique approach to fish preservation. And there’s plenty about what Icelanders drink and how to get in to the alcohol monopoly. But more than that, she discusses has past as a teenage grave digger, and how Facebook helped her track down longlost family members.

Noah Sanborn Friedman, the co-founder of Top Shelf Ventures, spends his day looking for alcohol brands to invest in, and he has a lot of insights into everything from navigating the USA’s complex regulatory system to raising capital in a challenging market. In this interview, he discusses what he looks for in a brand, the importance of liquid-to-lips strategy and why he believes now is the best time to invest in alcohol. He also talks about the industry’s response to health and wellness trends and the rise of non-alc beverages. Noah’s great combination of hard-headed financial acumen and great enthusiasm makes this a lively, insightful conversation.

Were you a brainy kid in high school? If so, science may be able to predict how much alcohol you will drink later in life. That’s a finding from Professor Sherwood Brown, a distinguished teaching Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. In this wide-ranging interview, he discusses the relationship between IQ and alcohol consumption in later life, the factors that contribute to alcohol use disorder, and what’s currently known about the best way to treat alcohol use disorder. And also the surprising relationship between alcohol consumption and asthma. But there’s also a lot we don’t know, and Dr Brown outlines the gaps, plus spills the tea on what doctors drink when they get together. It’s a great episode that answers a lot of questions about alcohol, addiction and the brain.