Are imports taking over, helped by wholesalers and large producers?
Report from the Craft Wine Association – By Taylor Harrison
A great review on a macro level on what is happening in the US market for wine. Here is the link from the Craft Wine Association. It is always good to stand back and take a global look on what is happening in regard to supply.
It is discouraging to see that domestic acreage is falling and yet international supply is rapidly growing to replace the shortfall.
As you all know we are active in supporting our direct shipping brands, and so it is incumbent on our legislators to make it easier to operate and sell and to stop allowing the expansion of legislation that shackles our small producers but props up the large producers and wholesalers who are responsible for the growth in imports.
Did you know there is a national wine caucus that is a great bi-partisan group with an eye on looking after the wine business in the USA? Both sides of the isle support agriculture and small businesses, and they all love their wine, and are great supporters of the wine industry. This is just one of the areas they are focused on.
“Recognizing the value and contributions of American wines and grape growing regions.”
Producers and consumers should be helping to educate their representatives on the real struggles that are impacting domestic producers and their ability to sell directly and self-distribute.
We must stop allowing special interests from restricting one sales channel over another or protect an old system that needs modernization. No other product has such a one-sided system that benefits distributors at the expense of other channels, most importantly direct to consumers. I totally get that this is a controlled product, but open licensing and distribution can be managed easily, and the argument of “health and safety” does not come down to the channel it is sold through.
Join the cause and support the CWA and the work they are doing to level the playing field for the direct sales channels of all beverage alcohol products.