Market Watch, December 2020

mwNEWS strong recovery in consumer demand for its brands in China over the past few months following the disruption earlier in the year due to Covid 19 Ménage à Trois Launches FirstTelevision AdMénage à Trois part of the Trinchero Family Estates portfolio has debuted its first ever television advertising campaign The new commercial high lights the brands Red Blend Silk and Gold wines The 30 second spot is now airing on the Bravo Food Network HGTV TLC and Lifetime networks as well as on Roku streaming devices slated for prime time daytime and weekend slots Ménage à Trois has annual U S volume of approximately 3 million cases according to Impact Databank Winebow Donates To Wildfire ReliefWinebow is donating 50000 to support the wildfire relief efforts in Northern California The donation will be divided between the Napa Valley Community Foundation and the Sonoma County Resilience Fund to help provide much needed aid to residents in the region Winebow operates as a distributor in 19 markets across the U S and repre sents more than 100 estates from Europe and the Southern Hemisphere through its Winebow Imports unit Piper Heidsieck Transitions ToFolio Fine Wine PartnersPiper Heidsieck the third largest Champagne brand in the U S by volume has moved to the portfolio of Folio Fine Wine Partners the Califor nia based importer and marketer in which Piper owner EPI recently took a majority stake Piper was previously handled in the U S by Terlato Wine Group which had a successful run with the brand growing depletions from 56000 cases in 2017 to 80000 cases last year according to Impact Databank The Piper Heidsieck portfolio includes Brut 45 Extra Dry 45 Sublime 50 Rosé Sauvage 60 and 2012 Vintage Brut 80 Wines in the limited edition Rare portfolio include the Rare Brut 180 and Rare Rosé 450 The brands marketing has included sponsorships as the official Champagne of the Academy Awards since 2015 and as the official sponsor of the Cannes Film Festival for two decades Folios range spans wine brands from California Italy France Argen tina Portugal Spain Washington state Austria and South Africa Supplier News BeerDixie Beer BecomesFaubourg Brewing Co New Orleans Louisianas oldest brew ery Dixie Beer has changed its name and is now operating as Faubourg Brew ing Co The name change follows discussions with community and indus try leaders about the history of the word Dixie and is meant to signal that Faubourgs beers are brewed for every one The rebranding will be complete by early 2021 when Faubourg tap handles and packaging will be available in bars and on retail shelves In addi tion Faubourg will expand its Dixie Beer Museum to show the wide history of brewing in New Orleans Cannabis NewsVoters Approve Recreational Cannabis In Four StatesCannabis initiatives swept on election night last month going five for five in states voting on the matter New Jersey Arizona Montana and South Dakota approved recreational cannabis legal ization and Mississippi voters over whelmingly chose the more generous of the two medical programs under consideration With 626 of precincts reporting at press time New Jerseys Public Question 1 had 669 approval and with 853 reporting Arizonas Prop 207 was at 598 a strong sign of changing public opinion on the topic For comparison both figures are higher than the percent age of yes votes in either Washington or Oregon when they legalized in 2012 and 2014 respectively Beyond its borders New Jersey is seen as a key domino to fall in the Northeast By beating New York and Pennsylvania to the punch the Garden State is in position to reap an out of state windfall from residents in New York City and Philadelphia New York Governor Andrew Cuomo who has pushed for legalization in his state the last two years recently reiterated the draw of cannabis tax revenue especially now that Covid 19 has pressured the Empire States coffers Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has also begun speaking out in support of the issue Likewise Rhode Island is in the early stages of prepara tion to legalize because according to governor Gina Raimondo the state is being hemmed in by legal markets such as neighboring Massachusetts and will be forced to deal with the costs of recre ational cannabis without the benefits unless it acts CBD Brand DebutsThree New FormulationsMinneapolis based CBD brand Soar is launching three new formulations to its lineup The first of the additions Harmony Held Wellness Tincture combines CBD with MCT oil medium chain triglycerides which is said to have a range of health benefits a bottle containing 500 mg of CBD retails for 35 The second Energy Enhanced Peppermint combines 500 mg of CBD and 500 mg of CBG or cannabigerol a cannabinoid from which many other cannabinoids derive that has pain reducing properties The third is Sleep Secured Lemon Essence which contains 500 mg of CBD and 150 mg of CBN or cannabinol another cannabinoid that works as a sleep aid The latter two both retail for 50 Verano Holdings Acquires Florida Medical Player AltMedChicago Illinois based Verano Hold ings has struck a deal to acquire Alter DECEMBER 2020 MARKETWATCHMAG COM MARKET WATCH 85MW1220_