Market Watch, January 2020

mwNEWSOn Premise NewsVictor George AnnouncesFort Lauderdale FacilityMiami based Victor George vodka has announced plans to build a 13000 square foot building housing a distillery with a tasting room cigar bar restaurant and offices on Sistrunk Blvd in Fort Lauderdale Florida The project will total about 4 million according to the South Florida Business Journal Victor George vodka retails at 20 a 750 ml and 29 a 175 liter and is currently present in the Florida market with plans to expand into Georgia early next year Off Premise NewsTwin Liquors Adds NinthHouston LocationTexas retail giant Twin Liquors is opening a new store in the Kingwood area in northeastern Houston At press time it was expected to launch in late January The new outlet continues Twin Liquors expansion into the Houston area where it currently has eight stores The chain retailer boasts more than 90 locations overall also including numerous stores in the San Antonio Austin and Dallas markets Drizly Expands Footprint In Three StatesDelivery provider Drizly is partnering with BevMo at ten additional stores in the Northern California market With the additions BevMo is bolstering its delivery footprint in the Sacramento market and adding stores in Lake Tahoe to the Drizly partnership which now covers a total of 55 BevMo locations Drizly is also expanding in the Loui siana market via a new partnership with retailer Shop Rite Tobacco Plus The move will see Drizly is adding about 14 million legal drinking age consumers across 14 Louisiana parishes with the move Finally Drizly is also partnering with Texas based retailer Specs to significantly expand its cover age in the Lone Star State Effective immediately 55 Specs stores across Dallas Houston Austin San Anto nio and in a pair of new market entries for the delivery service El Paso and Corpus Christi will have their inventories available on the providers platform Minority owned by the Wine Spirits Wholesalers of America Drizly is now present in over 100 cities in North America offering beer wine and spirits delivery in less than 60 minutes E Commerce PlatformAnnounces New ServiceBeverage alcohol e commerce platform Thirstie has launched a new option for brands to implement online store fronts Thirstie Access as it is called offers a suite of tools to produce a customized digital store that allows consumers to order products for home delivery The service which will oper ate alongside the companys existing Pro platform also offers consumer data analytics and a full retail fulfillment network among other features Its launching with Conor McGregors Proper No Twelve Irish whiskey Ramona Wine Spritzes and Ten to One rum as clients Thirstie has part nered with retailers in close to 50 cities that deliver spirits wine and beer both on demand and on a scheduled basis Distributor NewsLibDib Partners With RNDC In Florida Wholesale e commerce platform LibDib has entered the Florida market in partnership with Republic National Distributing Co The three tier compli ant web platform connects boutique wine and spirits labels with local wholesalers LibDib is now present in a total of five markets California Colorado Florida Wisconsin and New York Florida is the second market where LibDib is operating jointly with RNDC joining Colorado Mexcor AcquiresWineco PortfolioMexcor Distributors of Florida has added a new fine wine division after acquiring Wineco Corp s portfolio and operation for an undisclosed sum The new Mexcor of Florida fine wine divi sion will allow the company to expand into the chain retail channel and the on premise channel according to the company Jorge Peraza the former CEO of Wineco will manage the divi sion and Winecos sales force will remain in place to continue to serve clients throughout Florida This acqui sition will bring brands like Adegas Castro Brey Enotec and Puerto Viejo wines among others into the Mexcor fold in the Sunshine State LibDib To HandleKing St Vodka In Two StatesKing St vodka the new brand from actress Kate Hudson in partnership with Brand House has named LibDib as its distributor in Colorado and Wisconsin The partnership brings together two companies founded by women LibDib was founded by Cheryl Durzy and furthers Hudsons goal of engaging with women in the industry as she rolls out King St to a wider audience King St is now avail able in the on and off premise in Colorado and will be available in Wisconsin King St initially launched in California and is also slated to enter New York New Jersey Connecticut Massachusetts and Rhode Island in the near term Supplier News SpiritsBacardi Fully AcquiresStillhouse SpiritsBacardi has agreed to fully acquire Stillhouse Spirits for an undisclosed sum after previously making an invest ment in the brand in 2014 In a state ment Bacardi said We are pleased to have come to a mutual agreement as we have always admired the Stillhouse brand for its innovation disruption of 86 MARKET WATCH MARKETWATCHMAG COM JANUARY FEBRUARY 2020MW0120_