Keurig Dr Pepper announces strategic partnership with Red Bull

Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP), Burlington, Mass., and Frisco, Texas, announced a strategic partnership with Red Bull, to sell and distribute Red Bull in Mexico, further leveraging and expanding KDP’s partner network strategy.

The sales and distribution partnership provides KDP with exclusive rights to distribute Red Bull Energy Drink products across independent retailers such as grocery, convenience, pharmacy and kiosks, as well as the wholesale, regional key account and on-premise channels in the country, with some exclusions.  The partnership also provides the company with the option to distribute future ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage products that Red Bull may launch in Mexico in these locations.

Commenting on the announcement, KDP CEO Ozan Dokmecioglu stated: “This new agreement furthers KDP's commitment to partnerships, which are a core element of our growth strategy in which we create long-term, win-win relationships for both KDP and our strategic partners. The agreement demonstrates the strategic importance of energy to us and provides us the opportunity to partner with the No. 1 energy brand in the world. We look forward to working with Red Bull and believe this new partnership has the potential to expand over time.”

Gilberto Maldonado, KDP senior vice president and general manager of Mexico, added: “The addition of the Red Bull brand to KDP’s powerful, nationwide distribution network in Mexico strengthens our presence in the energy drink category and leverages our distribution capabilities to expand availability of Red Bull in the country. We are excited to begin selling and distributing Red Bull and expect to begin doing so during the fourth quarter of this year.”

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. BI

Primo Water Corp., Tampa, Fla., announced that Primo Water North America (PWNA), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Primo, has acquired substantially all the assets of Crystal Spring Water Co., a bottled water company based in Rhode Island. Crystal Spring Water Co. manufactures and distributes spring water to customers in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. The company was founded in 1907 in Middletown Rhode Island. The acquisition will add approximately 2,500 customers to PWNA, strengthening its footprint in the Northeast region. “Crystal Spring Water Co. offers high-quality spring water solutions and delivers superior customer service that aligns with our mission of inspiring healthier lives through water your way,” said Tom Harrington, CEO of Primo, in a statement. “We are excited to welcome these customers and associates to our Primo family.”

NBWA announces Women’s Leadership Academy, new Inclusivity Award

The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) kicked off its 85th Annual Convention and Product Showcase in Chicago. Taking place annually, the convention brought more than 1,700 attendees together from across the country to hear from industry leaders, attend educational programing and discuss the future of the industry.

During his remarks, NBWA President and CEO Craig Purser underscored the need for adaptability, including in recruiting employees.

“You all have adapted to meet this challenge. Some of you have gone to a four day-a-week delivery schedule. Others have made adjustments to the number of routes you run. Some of you have made modification to your fleet adding alternative fuels,” Purser said. “I really believe that people ― quality employees ― are going to be the currency that measures success for organizations going forward. Culture will be king as employees seek a greater purpose and greater flexibility. And we must balance that flexibility with accountability. In short, gone are the days when ‘free beer’ brings them in the door.”

During the session, Rebecca Maisel, NBWA secretary and senior vice president and general counsel for Gulf Distributing Holdings LLC, announced several developments for the Building Relationships and Empowering Women (BREW) initiative, which was unveiled at last year’s convention. In order to attract, connect and elevate women in the beer and beverage industry, BREW is kicking off a series of new resources to support women’s growth and leadership:

• Launching a leadership academy to give women tools and training to enable career success.
• Conducting monthly webinars and quarterly roundtables to give women support and help them succeed in the beer industry.
• Building a best practices repository to provide readily available information women can access on their own time.

Maisel also announced that Gulf Distributing Holdings would fund five annual scholarships for women in the industry to attend the BREW Leadership Academy.

Additionally, NBWA announced The Frieda G. Maisel Trailblazer Award, which will be given to an organization or person who has pioneered inclusivity in the beer distribution industry.

“I’m honored to say this award will be named after my grandmother,” Maisel said. “Many of you know my grandmother. In 1973, she became the first woman to own a beer distributorship outright, and not through inheritance.”

The 86th Annual Convention and Trade Show will take place Oct. 8-11, 2023, in Las Vegas. BI

Stone Distributing Co. (SDC), Escondido, Calif., announced the addition of Brian Fried as general manager. Fried will oversee the sales and distribution of more than 40 supplier brands and the cross-functional teams supporting the organization. The role of general manager guides the vision and strategic priorities of the approximately 350-person company. Stone Distributing became a standalone independent distributor Aug. 31, when Stone Brewing was acquired by Sapporo U.S.A. The SDC business has been operating under its same leadership and ownership and will continue with no changes to the team overseeing the day-to-day operations. SDC’s sales business is led by Vice President Anthony Trento and the operations business is led by Vice President Clint Graflund. CEO Maria Stipp will remain as chairperson on the Board of Directors for Stone Distributing.

Talking Rain Beverage Co., Seattle, announced the appointment of Luke Fisher as chief financial officer. In this role, Fisher will lead the company’s sustainability initiatives and highly engaged finance, technology, and risk management teams, while continuing to fulfill Talking Rain’s mission of “Creating Connections with Every Sip” for years to come. “Luke has played a prominent role in our organization for years,” said Ken Sylvia, CEO at Talking Rain, in a statement. “I’m excited for Luke as he and his team work to optimize our existing platforms, implement strategies to transform our business, and provide financial leadership to our organization.”  

Stillwater, Minn.-based STILLY SPIRITS LLC announced new partnerships with the Minnesota Wild, Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx for its STILLY ready-to-drink cocktails in a can brand, which was released to liquor stores across Minnesota less than four months ago. STILLY branded beverages will be carried at both Xcel Energy Center during all Minnesota Wild games as well as Target Center during all Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx games for the 2022-2023 seasons. Fans can find the beverages at STILLY branded bars and other concession stands throughout Xcel Energy Center and Target Center on game days, as well as during all concerts and events. “We are thrilled to partner with the Minnesota Wild, Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx. As we grow our roster of professional sports team partnerships, we are humbled and delighted to be a part of bringing a premier experience to all Minnesota sports fans,” said Nick Barthelemy, CEO and co-founder of STILLY SPIRITS LLC.