Dan Weingart

A big acquisition in the works. This will certainly broaden the reach of PFG in the southeast and continue to solidify itself as the 2nd largest foodservice distributor.

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The chicken segment is one of the most dynamic and competitive among the large restaurant chains in the U.S. And while Chick-fil-A continues to dominate and Popeyes is taking over the 2nd in the rank, there has been significant movement in the rank among other mid-size leading chains over the last ten years. It goes to show that in the restaurant industry, you can never rest. Leaders are waking up to the realization that if they’re not growing fast they’re dying slowly.  Outgrowing and outsmarting your competitors requires using the power of long-term thinking. #restaurants #chicken #strategy #leadership

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"Thanks Kaleigh Theriault, great play by play on the first half, let’s take a look at what’s going to be needed to win the year." 🏈 Halftime Report: Preparing for the second half in the Beverage Alcohol Industry! 🏆 As we take a breather at the halfway point of 2024, it's clear that the beverage alcohol industry has seen some major plays and strategic moves. Let's huddle up and look at the game plan for the rest of the year: 🍺 Beer: The price increases in 2023 are putting pressure on consumers, with long-term inflation effects and multiple drivers pointing to lower volumetrics. To stay in the game, deeper price subsidization for core Beer categories is essential. However, Imports show potential for a positive finish. Maintaining consumer loyalty will be our MVP move here. 🍷 Wine: The $15-$25 range continues to be the sweet spot, driving consumer interest. But to achieve positive trends by year-end, we need to capitalize on Q4 gifting. A big comparable period is coming up, so some price adjustments might be necessary, especially for infrequent Wine shoppers. 🥃 Spirits: We're seeing a continued shakeout as consumers transition from traditional products to RTDs. Flavor and turn-key cocktails are the winning plays, making Q4 critical for gifting and entertaining. Price discounting is already in motion to boost revenue. 🍹 RTD (Ready-to-Drink): RTDs remain a game-changer this year. With their share of total Alcohol growing, we expect more stability in growth rates as the shift from Seltzers slows. Building consumer brand loyalty for Spirits RTDs is crucial, and we need to watch out for potential flavor fatigue in the second half. Let's get ready to tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities ahead! Here's to a successful second half of 2024! 🥂 "Why did the football team go to the bank at halftime? To get their quarterback!" 🏆 #BeverageIndustry #AlcoholTrends #Beer #Wine #Spirits #RTD #MarketInsights #SecondHalf #HalftimeReport Note: This report looks at the 26 week ending period thru July 6th, 2024

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Consumers are rejecting brands based on budget realities as well as on principle. Thats the observation of ConAgra CEO Sean Connolly in this article about the decline in sales of major snack brands. At Ignite 360 we’ve been talking with consumers about how they are adapting their purchase and consumption behavior thru our longitudinal Navigating to a New Normal study. A piece from Q1 2023 is in the comments. Yes, Q1 of last year… Even then we heard outrage and frustration on the price increases and so on principle, and necessity, consumers were modifying behavior. What will it take to win them back? Lower prices and all will be forgiven? What about breaking the new habits formed now that they’ve cut back or left your brand? This is where having empathy becomes so important - understanding the point of view of your consumer so they have a seat at your decision making table. After all, without your consumers, where would your business be? I’d love to hear from you about how you are addressing this new consumer landscape and to talk about insights work that can help clear the path forward. DM me or email or add to the comments. And what thoughts do some of my favorite strategic thinkers have on this? Peter McDonald Marlene Straszewski David Clark Happy Friday! #marketing #cpg #inflation #consumerbehavior #longitudinalstudy #empathy #insights Insights Association https://wapo.st/4cUoYd0

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Offering a unique blend of convenience and premium appeal, these top-rated RTDs present a lucrative opportunity for businesses looking to capitalize on consumer preferences.

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Constellation Brands Inc. saw its stock climb during premarket trading on Thursday following an upward revision of its adjusted fiscal 2025 profit forecast, surpassing analyst predictions. The company also reported a robust fourth-quarter profit, driven by the stronger-than-anticipated performance of its beer division. CEO Bill Newlands highlighted the beer business's consistent volume growth over 56 quarters, coupled with impressive margins, although wine and spirits sales experienced a decline. https://lnkd.in/ggNU_G9r Constellation Brands Bill Newlands Branded Hospitality Ventures #Technology #Business #Innovation #AI #investing #venturecapital MarketWatch

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Competition is heating up in golf, and we're not talking about the players! https://ow.ly/AiKS30sEFoe Check out Entegra's latest golf blog highlights eight key trends to help golf operators drive your business forward. From embracing sustainable practices and leveraging technology to investing in community relationships and focusing on data analytics, here are some suggested tips for operators to stay ahead of the curve. #GolfTrends #GolfBusiness #SustainableGolf #GolfTechnology

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Working in the spirits industry for 24 years, I've had the pleasure of being the voice that amplifies many highly desired bourbon brands. This insightful piece from Food & Wine gives more background on allocated bourbons, and also contains one of my favorite quotes ever, "Buzz doesn’t hurt either. These days, listing the technical details of a great whiskey simply is not enough,...𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗥 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲. Of course, these whiskeys are going to be great, but if bourbon influencers start to go nuts over a new product, then true demand does tend to balloon much more." 𝗜 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗘𝗘𝗡! #bourbon #publicrelations https://lnkd.in/eakiFrjY

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What does the Albertsons/Kroger termination mean for mergers in the future? We have seen a lot of scrutiny over mergers whether airlines, tech, and the most recently, grocery. The food chain tends to be more sensitive and perhaps the global, and more importantly, domestic inflation played a role. What is your opinion of the Albertsons/Kroger separation. #grocery #kroger #albertsons #safeway m&a

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The moderation trend is continuing to accelerate! The NA segment of on-premise beer sales in the U.S. jumped 33.7% over the last 52 weeks with broad-based gains in all 50 states! 💪 📈 🍻 At Partake Brewing we are seeing on-premise operators move from offering 1 NA beer option to now several with macros and craft represented in addition to house mocktails. 🍺 🍷 🍹 This is an exciting time for the non-drinker and moderator alike! Gone are the days of water, juice, milk, and soda as the non-alcoholic options. 🤩 https://lnkd.in/gibbdbPB

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"Calculate Food Cost Ratios" Knowing your food cost per dish helps you spot where your margins are highest—don’t ignore this key metric! Also known as theoretical food cost helps you understand what your margins should be.  While industry averages are directional, the margins for every restaurant varies!

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The Menu affects everything in a restaurant; as our friend and FCSI consultant Bill Main says, “The Menu is your blueprint for profitability.” Let’s start with the segment. What will be your marketing and brand positioning? It depends on what menu items you serve. What type of cooking methods and equipment will you use? GUEST EXPERIENCE = FACILITY (Space) DESIGN + MENU + SERVPOINTS 408-784-7371 SSA Foodservice Design + Consulting #restaurant #foodservice #culinary #hotel #casino #resort #travel #club #design #consulting #speaking #kitchendesign #equipmentspecifications #ServPoints™️ #SequenceofService #TeamExperience #GuestExperience #conceptdevelopment #marketing #salesbuilding #standardsofoperation #profitability #coaching #training #operationsbestpractices #expertwitness #litigationsupport #myfcsi

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LINE CLEANING LEGISLATION CHANGES - ABC Omnibus Bill - Senate Bill 527 (North Carolina) was approved. Effective January 1, 2025, wholesalers and distributors are prohibited from providing any draft line services to alcohol beverage retailers or establishments. So, what are you waiting for? Join the Glanola Clean Beer Revolution today! Now, also offering two unique and 'proprietary' detergent options:- 1. Color Change Technology. 2. Environmentally Friendly Non Caustic Technology. GLANOLA :- pioneering 'The Appliance of Science' resulting in draft establishments 'Serving what the Brewer Intended and the Customer Expects'. 🍺👍🍺👍

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SAFE NOTES ARE NOW UNSAFE... OK so what is going to happen to the money that was poured into CPG Brands via these supposed SAFE Notes? Issue is that no priced round took place and now it is likely if it did happen it would be at a fraction of the valuation that was contemplated leading to massive dilution for the founder. Many have a cap...few have a floor. and unless they are converted it will be impossible to raise new money at any valuation. #cpg #safenotes #fundraising

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The Coca-Cola Company and Coca-Cola zero sugar...after a stronger-than-expected second quarter 2024 performance that was announced today, which saw net sales revenue increase 3% to $12.4 billion, the Coca-Cola Company has raised its full-year outlook. Coca-Cola’s latest earnings success comes at a time when the soda business as a whole is in decline. Between 2004 and 2023, the volume of carbonated soft drinks bought and sold in America decreased by -27%, according to trade publication Beverage Digest. Still, amid the category’s downward trajectory one brand has continued to rise, capturing more market share in the past 20 years than all the others. That brand: Coca-Cola Zero Sugar. Coca-Cola Zero Sugar is an ongoing example of how superior taste drives consumer demand, with Coca Cola Zero seeing a +20% global volumes increase. The strong performance of Coca-Cola's Zero sugar variants, is reflective of an overall beverages category move to Zero sugar offerings as consumers look for healthier beverages choices, with zero calories and sugar. For any beverages brand owner or manufacturer looking to create great tasting 😋 beverages innovations 💡 with reduced or zero sugar, please reach out to the beverages team at Kerry, we are here to help. #cocacola #cocacolazero #zerosugar #sugar #softdrinks #taste #zerocalories #refreshingbeverages #tastsesense Erlon Pereira Marc LEJEUNE Breda Kelly Tiphaine BEAU Farrah Gilsenan Thomas Hahlin Ahlinder Sheelagh Pentony Carol Dunne Gwyneth Kelly Michelle Osagie Mark Allen Leigh-Anne Vaughan Massimo Barbeni Romel Doshi, MBA Sam Choucha Nina Riggins Sergio Saavedra Rodríguez Birgit Schaaf Ian Chesworth Erika Minaguchi Magdalena Edyta Przewoźnik Barbara Lezzer David Deeley Brian Short Aoife Mc Donald Elaine Druhan Juan Soto Daniel S. Xavier Herrera

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We chat with Allisa Henley, Master Distiller at Sazerac Company on writing a new chapter in Tennessee whiskey. Allisa Henley’s name resonates deeply in the Tennessee whiskey scene, a field she's passionately contributed to for nearly two decades. From starting her journey at George Dickel with an MBA and no distilling background to becoming a Master Distiller for Sazerac, Allisa’s path has been one of relentless learning, hard work, and a love for the craft. Now, with her sights set on the exciting endeavor of A&J Bond Distillery, Allisa continues to carve out her legacy in an industry that's both steeped in tradition and brimming with new possibilities. In this interview, she reflects on her inspiring journey, the challenges she's faced, and the vision she holds for the future of Tennessee whiskey. Here are some of the questions our editor Malvika Patel covers: -Allisa, you've been a key figure in the Tennessee whiskey scene for over 18 years. Could you share some key moments in your journey from George Dickel to Sazerac, and what those experiences taught you about the craft of distilling? -As a woman without a formal chemistry background in a traditionally male-dominated industry, you’ve had quite a few challenges to overcome. How did you navigate your path to becoming a Master Distiller, and what kept you driven throughout? -Starting A&J Bond Distillery is a bold new chapter for you. What makes this venture different from your past projects, and what can whiskey lovers expect from the new Tennessee Whiskey you’re crafting? -Your partnership with John Lunn was a significant part of your journey. How has his legacy influenced the new creations at A&J Bond Distillery? -You’ve mentioned the luxury of waiting until the whiskey is “ready.” How do you know when that perfect moment has arrived, and what does that decision-making process look like for you? -Sazerac has a rich history, and you’re also working on new and innovative products. How do you balance respecting tradition while pushing the boundaries of what Tennessee whiskey can be? -What have been some of the biggest challenges in your role as a Master Distiller at Sazerac, and what have been the most rewarding moments? -You’ve spent a lot of time educating consumers and whiskey enthusiasts. How do you think the perception of whiskey, particularly Tennessee whiskey, has evolved over the years? -The whiskey industry is seeing more women stepping into leadership roles. How do you view the progress for women in distilling, and what advice would you give to women aspiring to become distillers? Allisa Henley’s journey from marketing expert to master distiller showcases her tenacity and love for the craft. Her story shows us that with the right blend of patience, hard work, and a willingness to embrace change, anything is possible – just like a perfectly aged whiskey waiting for the right moment to shine.

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Tyson Foods Reports Record Profits After Major Turnaround Tyson Foods has achieved a significant financial boost, with third-quarter profits reaching the highest level in eight years. The company saw a remarkable 174% increase in adjusted operating income, totaling $491 million, thanks to a successful turnaround in its chicken and pork sectors. This turnaround follows a period of plant closures and cost-cutting, which helped Tyson benefit from lower feed costs and improved operational efficiencies. Tyson remains optimistic for the rest of the year, forecasting adjusted operating income between $1.6 to $1.8 billion for fiscal 2024. Read More Here: https://lnkd.in/e-9DwRYZ Food Dive Hospitality Hangout Podcast Branded Hospitality Ventures #Marketing #Hospitality #Technology Ron Link Rahul Ray Derek Smith Brady Stewart Andrea McGovern Galo Douglas Kulka Alex Abernathy

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The US Beer industry landscape is changing fast. AB InBev's North America Normalized EBIT declined by over $1.3 B from 2022 to 2023. The volume market share decline (relative to Molson Coors Beverage Company and Constellation Brands) contributed to that EBIT decline by an amount of $400 Million. It has not helped that overall volumes between these three major players has declined by over 4%. It's a general sign of the headwinds facing the beer category as shopper and consumer preferences shift. For #ABInBev, that overall market decline cost them another $200M. A just less than 4% increase in Net Pricing contributed a +ve $560Million to the Normalized EBIT change, but was insufficient to mitigate the increased inflationary unit costs associated with Cost of Sales and the de-leveraging of other SG&A operating expenses. It will be interesting to track how these components of EBIT will change for 2024, given growth constraints associated with market share gains and price increase ceilings. Looks like some drastic OPEX cuts might be the only short-term remedy for now as AB InBev looks to rebuild brand equity and volume share. Send me a DM or write "send" in the comments section and I will forward you the document that also contains the related MVA operating breakdown for #MolsonCoors and #ConstellationBrands. It's interesting to see how and to what extent Molson Coors and Constellation Brands benefited from AB InBev's headwinds. You will also see why Constellation Brands might be the longer term winner here. #Beerindustry #beercategory #beerdistribution #Heineken #BeverageAlcohol #Asahi #Carlsberg #BostonBeer #beer #beverages #BudLight #MillerLite #CoorsLight #Corona #ModeloEspecial

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