Shaw-Ross Sees Italian Portfolio Drive Gains

Despite challenging conditions across the U.S. wine market, Florida-based importer Shaw-Ross International says it’s navigating the headwinds and maintaining growth at the higher end of its wine portfolio, which totals approximately 1.9 million cases, according to Impact Databank. The portfolio spans a range of price points, from brands like Real Sangria to labels like Frescobaldi and The Pale by Sacha Lichine.

Shaw-Ross’s overall Italian portfolio (including both wines and spirits) is performing well, according to marketing director Sydney Kalvin. “All five—Frescobaldi, La Scolca, Sartori, Lombardo, and Strega—were up” for 2023, she told SND. “In such a difficult year, seeing that they all had really strong growth was exciting and gives us a lot of promise going into 2024.” Frescobaldi, which anchors the Italian range, saw a marked increase in volume, up 23% to 60,000 cases.

From France, The Pale rosé is now at approximately 45,000 cases, and has shown solid growth in off-premise channels lately. “The Pale has really great distribution in national and regional chains,” said Kalvin, adding that the company is now pursuing “more of an on-premise presence for The Pale. We’re already there on the off-premise side.”

Marques de Riscal, from Spain, is also a key brand in the Shaw-Ross range at around 180,000 cases, ranking second among all Spanish wine brands in the U.S. after Campo Viejo, according to Impact Databank. In the New Zealand category, on-premise oriented Rapaura Springs is growing from a small base, and ranked No. 3 on Wine Spectator’s list of the top wine values of 2023.

Elsewhere, Kalvin sees plenty of runway for Shaw-Ross’s sake portfolio. She points to Gekkeikan’s established presence—it has U.S. volume of over 560,000 cases—as well as the company’s upcoming relaunch of Tyku sake (around 66,000 cases), acquired from Diageo in March 2023. Kalvin sees Tyku as a gateway offering, pointing to the strong (color-based) delineation between releases as a way for newer consumers to understand the basics of sake.

On the spirits side, Shaw-Ross has key brands including Old Smuggler Scotch whisky (132,000 cases), Ron Barcelo (76,000 cases), Gaetano cordials (101,000 cases), and Pusser’s rum (42,000 cases) all showing growth in control states recently. Kalvin sees a big opportunity ahead for Hemingway Whiskey in the American whiskey segment. In a very limited rollout last year, the brand’s Hemingway Signature rye landed at No. 13 among Whisky Advocate’s Top 20 Whiskies of 2023. “We haven’t even officially launched Hemingway with our distributors yet. That’s going to be happening in H1,” Kalvin said. “I think it’s going to be huge for us in 2024.”—Shane English

Tagged : Frescobaldi, Gekkeikan, Hemingway rye, Marques de Riscal, Shaw-Ross, the Pale

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