Rodney Williams

The whisky industry is going through a silent revolution. Craft distilleries are reshaping the market landscape. And I'm fascinated by it. Why? Because traditional collectors are feeling uncertain... These small-batch producers are challenging long-held notions of quality and value. They're creating unique, experimental whiskies that don't fit neatly into established categories. It's exciting… but unsettling for many. You've spent years building your collection, carefully selecting whisky from renowned distilleries. And then WHAM, the rules start changing. Doubt takes the wheel… Are these craft whiskies worth collecting? Will they hold their value? There’s no easy answers (believe me, I’ve looked… 👀 and here’s what I see): → Craft distilleries are pushing boundaries, creating innovative flavour profiles → Some small-batch whiskies are already commanding premium prices → The market is slowly adapting, with new categories emerging for these unique spirits My advice? Stay informed, but don't panic. The whisky world is evolving, not imploding. There's room for tradition and innovation. In fact, this shift could open up exciting new opportunities for collectors. It's all about understanding the market and making informed decisions. The future of collecting might just be in that unassuming bottle from a distillery you've never heard of. Every great whisky was once a new idea. Sláinte 🥃

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The funny thing about pitching a brand is that you need to remember to pitch the things that matter to the retailer you’re pitching. Great insight below.

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Interesting discussion. How to share, approach and discuss Whiskey and Tea. What is cost vs value or worth. The secondary market and counterfeiting. Check it out! https://lnkd.in/gHX-3CFE

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-- Podcast Teaser Alert -- "If you want to lead the consumer, you need to be the consumer." - Eric Ryan At one point, Eric Ryan and I were "frienemies". Friends personally, competitors professionally. He was the co-founder and CEO of Method Products PBC, while I led Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day. ................ But in the real world, we were always on the same team. Our collective efforts, along with the team at 7th Generation, were revolutionizing the cleaning category. At Mrs. Meyer's, our mission was clear: 'Together, we dream of a world where the better way becomes THE way.' ................ Eric Ryan shares his insights on creating method products pbc, OLLY PBC, and Welly Bandages, along with his go-to-market approach. Stay tuned for the next drop of the CEO podcast. 🎙 You won't regret it. #cultureFIRSTleadership #ceoPodcast #ChiefEternalOptimist

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A double earnings/sales beat, raised guidance in many meaningful categories, and new product new news for CAVA makes for a great quarter. In fact, very few other brands--only a handful-- are doing as well. A new brand regarded as cool by guests and employees and the right kind of executive management and food has been evident for years now. The IPO seems to have supercharged attention and momentum. The discussion about the calendar adjusted SSS and traffic and the two year stacked SSS number warrants a note. While the 10Q P&L necessarily focuses on change from prior year, we are almost certainly wrong focusing on that number. We as an industry can and must spend more time on 2 year and even five year stacked numbers for better MD&A. CAVA did today. Their disclosure changed the tone. Thank you Brett Schulman.

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Loving this piece from Coffee Intelligence on the fourth wave of coffee. "Where third-wave coffee culture took a serious approach to coffee that sometimes felt exclusionary, Gen Z coffee drinkers take a more light-hearted approach and want an emphasis on fun. Bright and irreverent packaging, indulgent dessert-like flavours, and quirky messaging are the new marketing hooks. They want great coffee, but without the snobbery. This means ready-to-drink coffees with a range of flavours, and fun, aesthetically pleasing branding – Emma Chamberlain’s coffee brand is a perfect example, as is the boom in RTD coffee sales." https://lnkd.in/gVjUpUVT Chamberlain Coffee

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In 2002, when Siggi Hilmarsson moved from Reykjavik to New York City for his MBA at Columbia, he missed the thick, creamy skyr yogurt from his childhood in Iceland. The U.S. yogurts were too sweet and artificial for his taste. This homesickness sparked a journey that would transform the yogurt industry. In 2004, Siggi's mother faxed him some skyr recipes from Iceland. He started experimenting in his Manhattan loft, but initial attempts were hit or miss. Realizing he needed better equipment, Siggi rented a university dairy plant and made his first successful batch of professional yogurt. Soon, he had 300 containers of skyr, which he started giving away. A friend at Murray’s Cheese in Manhattan liked the yogurt, and soon, Siggi had his first customer. A former professor became his first investor. With this support, Siggi quit his consulting job at Deloitte to pursue yogurt-making full-time. In 2007, a game-changing call came from Whole Foods, who wanted to stock Siggi’s nationwide. The increased production demand was overwhelming, leading to a temporary halt in production to upgrade equipment. By the fall, Siggi's was back on shelves, stronger than ever. By 2013, siggi's had expanded into a larger facility in Wisconsin to meet growing demand and ensure production stability. It sold in 8,800 stores nationwide. Siggi's journey teaches us valuable lessons: ↳ Stay True to Your Roots: Authenticity resonates with customers. ↳ Persevere Through Challenges: Initial failures are stepping stones to success. ↳ Plan for Growth: Anticipate and prepare for increased demand. ↳ Trust Your Gut: Business intuition is as important as calculated decisions. ↳ Balance Work and Well-being: A healthy mind and body enhance performance. Siggi’s story is a testament to resilience, innovation, and the power of staying true to one’s vision. #Entrepreneurship #BusinessSuccess #Innovation #Authenticity #HealthyLiving #Siggis #CPGIndustry

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Tequila!   Many large players such as White Claw, and The Boston Beer Company (maker of Truly) are expanding their offerings and releasing tequila-flavored ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails as consumers are increasingly turning to tequila offerings in the beverage alcohol sector.   I had the opportunity to share my insights and thoughts on this surging trend with The Food Institute. In the article, I emphasized how innovations in ready-to-drink (RTD) formats, including tequila-based seltzers and margaritas, are meeting consumer demand for novel flavors. Additionally, I pointed out that tequila production has remained stable despite global supply chain disruptions and highlighted the increasing consumer preference for high-quality artisanal spirits.   Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gB9f-3Ci   #Tequila #BeverageIndustry #MarketTrends #ConsumerInsights #RTDCocktails

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Everyone is talking about Foxtrot and rightfully so. I could talk about a lot of things on this subject. How raising too much growth capital leads to irresponsible spending that is hard to control, or how small format grocery is just tough even though enticing, or the pressures of retail that have been happening since well before the pandemic. All would great topics to cover. But I don’t want to talk about any of that. I want to talk about innovation. I think back to maybe 2008, when my friends Alejandro Vélez Ramírez and Nikhil Arora walked into a single Whole Foods store with a 5 gallon bucket of organic oyster mushrooms they grew in their fraternity house, and sold it in immediately, and how that led to a gardening revolution educating millions of kids on growing your own food. The power of retail embracing the new and the bold, and being equipped to do so. Reflecting on a recent conversation with Michael Besancon who spent so many years in a VP of purchasing role, who brought in SAMBAZON when nobody knew what Açaí was. What makes this so tough, is that Foxtrot started to represent that first step in retail, a validator, an important endorsement of the new and bold, and more importantly in a way that works for new and small brands. Yes you can launch your brand D2C, and you should if you can, but retailers are the ultimate influencers. They have a lot of followers, and we need that route to market in a way that works for brands. Daniela Wong who founded Senor Mango is a great example of a new brand that should have a platform, end caps, in store signage, shelf talkers, anchored distro. Why? Because her products are great, her brand is fun, and she is representing her family heritage and a unique variety called Kent that her family has grown for generations. She is also one of the most genuine and creative people I have met, and a bad ass woman founder based in Mexico City. That’s enough to take a chance on, and some are thankfully, but more should hop on and in a big way. There are so many great stories of founders putting everything on the line to make it happen, and bringing true innovation to the table. There are plenty of me too products to filter through also, but when we see the real new, the bold new, we need the retail platform to endorse. Discovery will always be the biggest advantage you have as a retailer, so let’s go! If Foxtrot demise could lead to more off cycle innovation in other massive platforms, it would all be worth it. #innovation #emergingbrands #groceryretail Victor Guardiola Max Kabat Will Ahearn Adam Spriggs Emily M. Lindsay Robb Carlotta Mast Jessica Rubino Katrina Tolentino Kathryn Flouton Isabella "Bella" H. Candice Choi

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Have you tried #LavenderSeaSalt? This slightly floral and aromatic #salt is more versatile than most people realize. I like to sprinkle it over roasted butternut squash, goat cheese/arugula pizza, and chocolate chip cookies while they're still warm. How do you like to use this #SpecialtySalt? #SeaSaltSuperstore #FlavoredSalt

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The success of a “creator-led brand” has less to do with the creator’s following and much more to do with their effort level. I’ve seen this scenario play out dozens of times: 1. A Brand partners with creator/celebrity/athlete/artist. The Brand is focused on the “assets” total reach and following. The “asset’s” team is overly focused on their compensation and demand on their time. 2. Both sides negotiate for months over specific demands and tasks that fulfill some lengthy agreement. 50 pages that are read over and over again but never read again after it’s signed. 3. The Partnership is announced and not much happens. How is this cycle broken and turned into something positive for both sides? When the creative leans in and does what they do best: create. Not because the contract says they have to, but because they are having fun and they WANT TO. There are few creators that we’ve worked with that hustle harder than Ninja. He’s a consummate professional and truly cares about the things he works on. You can see the results just by the output of what he creates. Nutcase Milk scored a huge win here. And, so did Ninja.

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SCRAPPY FOUNDER LED BRANDS >>> inauthentic celebrity brands launched for a quick money grab In a world of celebrity brand overload is it REALLY better to attach a celebrity or an influencer to a brand “just because”? I’ll take my chances building an authentic brand with healthy business fundamentals - I respect our consumers enough not to lie to them. Anyone have any thoughts on this? #cpg #jlo #entrepreneurship

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🚨 Outdated Alcohol Laws Alert 🚨 Tennessee’s recent lawsuit against six online retailers for shipping alcohol without proper licensing highlights a bigger issue: the outdated three-tier system. It’s time to ask ourselves when this prohibition-era relic will catch up with modern society. Consumers today expect convenience and choice, yet these antiquated laws stifle innovation and limit access. #Innovation #Alcohol #Laws #ConsumerRights #Modernization https://lnkd.in/g4bQr4bn

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During weekend gatherings where friends and family come together, discussions about American traditions often lead to one fun question: "What's the most quintessentially American drink to enjoy over the weekend?" As the group debates, someone might lean back with a bourbon, another might champion Budweiser despite its German origins, and another may find solace in a glass of White Zinfandel. Among these diverse choices, if we explore the roots of America's beverage history, Applejack shines through, particularly Laird’s Applejack, with its rich narrative dating back to 1698 as the nation's first commercial distillery. This isn't just about promoting a brand; it's about honoring a legacy that includes figures like Abraham Lincoln, who reportedly served Laird’s in his tavern. In our commitment to celebrating such heritage, Yardii Distillery is excited to announce that our JARDII Golden Apple Brandy, inspired by this tradition yet distinct in its craftsmanship and taste, will be coming to the USA. This new addition aims to blend the historical essence of apple brandy with a modern twist, perfect for any weekend occasion. Today, while Laird's continues to embody the spirit of American history with its classic Applejack, at Yardii, we strive to contribute to this legacy with our JARDII Golden Apple Brandy, ensuring that the spirit of innovation and tradition lives on in every bottle. As you reflect on what symbolizes the American spirit, consider enhancing your experience with a taste of JARDII Golden Apple Brandy, soon to grace the shelves in the USA. It’s more than just a beverage; it’s a continuation of a storied American tradition.

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Very important and insightful analysis of the economic impact of Ozempic and other similar drugs on the food industry and beyond. https://lnkd.in/eU32RMyU.

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