News Briefs for December 9, 2024
December 9, 2024•Johnson Brothers has made two leadership appointments in Minnesota, naming John Dempsey as general manager and Nathan Johnson as vice president of sales. Dempsey has been with Johnson Brothers since 2001 and has managed the distributor’s business in Nevada and, most recently, Virginia. In this role, Dempsey will report to A.J. Atta, the company’s new president, west region. Johnson, who will report to Dempsey, has been with Johnson Brothers since 2015 and has held increasingly senior positions within the company. Both new appointments take effect on January 1, 2025.
•Diageo has launched updated packaging for Crown Royal, giving the Canadian whisky brand a new bottle and closure, as well as updated labels. The new bottles are taller and slimmer, with a new larger gold-colored closure. The new labels feature updated versions of the brand’s crown and pillow logo. The refresh is now rolling out across the Crown Royal portfolio, including the brand’s flagship whisky, Regal Apple, Peach, Vanilla, Black, Northern Harvest Rye, XO, Salted Caramel, Blackberry, and Reserve Aged 12 Years. Last year, Last year, Crown Royal, including its flavors, was at 6.6 million cases in the U.S., according to Impact Databank.
•Georgetown, Kentucky’s Blue Run Spirits has released, Ember, a new holiday limited time offering from the brand. The Bourbon is bottled at 64.4% abv and is blended from three barrels of whiskey. Ember carries a suggested price of $130 and is now available in Illinois, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Texas and Virginia, as well as through the brand’s website.
•Gina and Jean-Charles Boisset have purchased Flora Springs, the St. Helena-based winery known for its Trilogy red blend and Soliloquy white wine, among other releases. Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed. Last year, Flora Springs produced roughly 8,500 cases of wine and primarily acts in the DTC sphere. While ownership of the winery is changing hands, Flora Springs’ winemaker, Enrico Bertoz, will remain in his position.
•Pernod Ricard has partnered with Major League Soccer, with Jameson named as the official whiskey of the league. The partnership, which covers multiple years, is the next step in the brand’s “Must Be a Jameson” campaign and will see the whiskey integrated into MLS broadcasts and stadiums, as well as other activations surrounding the sport. In addition, the partnership will include digital and out-of-home ads. Beyond the brand’s wider partnership with the league, Jameson is also the official whiskey of six MLS clubs: Chicago Fire FC, Houston Dynamo FC, LA Galaxy, New York City FC, Orlando City SC and San Diego FC. Last year, Jameson was at 3.94 million cases in the U.S., according to Impact Databank. Through August, Jameson is down 3.6% in control states, according to NABCA data.
