Tariffs get the headlines, but regulation does the damage

The real threat to the alcohol industry is decades of bad domestic policy.

All I can say is, if the goal is to help drive American businesses, then both state and federal agencies had better make it easier to do business in the US.

The regulatory quagmire for the beverage alcohol space is terrible for 99% of producers. Things like franchise laws, tied house rules, and double registrations of products should all be eliminated. These are simply unnecessary barriers to how a market should operate.

It’s truly time to change and help our industry thrive and grow.

Imported wines and spirits also should not be penalized, as there are simply some products that cannot be made or replicated in the US. So some serious work needs to be done to protect the supply to the retailers quickly, otherwise many small retailers will be going out of business, not due to DTC, but due to reduced supply or products being too expensive. Oh, and the answer to this problem is not wholesalers. They are needed for the 1% of producers, but their fight to keep their state mandate over all producers should be removed now.

We are in a new world, but there are already proven ways to improve the business environment for alcohol beverages and adding more regulation is not the answer.