There is a Time to Ponder and a Time for Action
It’s easy to take a wait-and-see approach when there is so much business uncertainty. I feel like we have been in this ‘state’ since 2024. Can we afford to wait until things settle down? Can we afford to stop investing in the marketing and data-driven decision making of our businesses? These questions are rhetorical, I know. The answer is, ‘of course not.’
Our data feature this month is RTDs At the Turning Point: From Hypergrowth to Strategic Maturity. As always, our reports go beyond information to actionable insights. From the report: “Previous RTD growth relied heavily on rapid flavor launches and shelf expansion. Today, an emerging strategy focuses on deeper integration into consumer routines through expanded usage occasions, clear segmentation roles, habit-building consumption, flexible ABV offerings and credible ingredient positioning.”
EPG Specialty Information analyst Marina Velez is now collecting 2025 beer, wine and spirit sales data for our annual Growth Brands Awards. Suppliers, don’t miss this opportunity to highlight your brand’s resilience. Contact her at mvelez@epgspecialtyinformation.com [link: Mailto:mvelez@epgspecialtyinformation.com] for more details about the Growth Brands Awards, or to delve deeper into any questions you have about our RTDs report.
This month’s survey asks how you are handling this shift of RTDs to a central, maturing, here-to-stay segment of growth (Survey link – from Mason?)
It’s that action-oriented and data driven mentality that drives the program of our conference – Beverage Industry Week [link: https://bevweek.epgacceleration.com/2026] – held this year in Minneapolis June 15th-17th. Check out the evolving agenda that revolves around exploring both local successes like cannabis beverage merchandising and a collective national perspective on the changing landscape.
New this year is an interactive Category Management workshop embedded in our ACTIVATE Advisory Board Meeting on June 16th. ACTIVATE is made up of key members from all Bev-Al tiers and channels that work together to overcome challenges and increase efficiencies, as well as discuss best practices for obtaining and utilizing industry data. This workshop is an invite-only event open to Bev-Al suppliers, distributors, retailers, operators, industry associations, data providers and technology companies. Secure your invite by contacting Jeremy Nedelka at jnedelka@epgacceleration.com.
The post There is a Time to Ponder and a Time for Action appeared first on Beverage Information Group.