March is Women’s History Month, and Hard Seltzer News is celebrating the women who are making history in the burgeoning spiked and sparkling space. While hard seltzer bridges demographics and appeals to people of all sexes and gender identities, women have been leading in the category since its inception, pushing the industry to be more inclusive.
Two Chicks Canned Cocktails
Take the ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail brand Two Chicks. While the name may sound cheeky, it has a deeper meaning. CEO Linda Dow Cash explained its origin to Hard Seltzer News. “The brand is based on Meghan’s life,” explained Cash, speaking about Two Chicks founder, Meghan Hanna. The two got together in 2018 to map out a plan for a different kind of canned cocktail. They now distribute their six varieties in over 40 states.
“Meghan is one of two daughters, she has two daughters, and she was raised by two moms,” Cash said. “When she was raised by two moms, it really wasn’t accepted as the norm as it is today, so that inclusivity was very important to her.”
PRESS Premium Alcohol Seltzer
Amy Walberg, founder of PRESS Premium Alcohol Seltzer is another example of women taking charge in the drinks industry. “I was suddenly certain that I couldn’t be the only person looking for a modern option traditional cocktails,” she said.
“I had a mission to put my new seltzer product into the public’s hands. Specifically, I wanted to create this product for moms like me.”
Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ) acquired a minority stake in Walberg’s company, XYZ Beverage, LLC, in early 2020. Constellation’s Focus on Female Founders program showed the company’s belief in women leading brands. “Overall, we’re looking to invest in categories that we believe represent the future of beverage alcohol and adjacent categories,” stated Jennifer Evans, VP of Constellation Ventures.
Lone River Ranch Water
Like Walberg, Katie Beal Brown of Lone River Ranch Water is another example of women being the change they want to see in the drinks industry. “We liked the idea of drinking a hard seltzer, but we didn’t feel like the kind of seltzer that we wanted existed yet,” she said.
While women are creating the better-for-you drinks they wanted to see in the market, we shouldn’t be surprised that they have such mass appeal. Lone River Ranch Water is only brand made by Far West Spirits, which was recently acquired by international spirits giant Diageo (NYSE: DEO). The transaction surprised some, as it happened less than a year after the launch of the product in the marketplace.
“Never imagined this in less than a year on the shelves. The Lone River team did an amazing job breaking into an emerging category. Looking forward to our new partnership with Diageo,” said VP of Sales Michael Cevasco in a post on LinkedIn.
Volley Spiked Seltzer
“We all know the footprint of our history, that it was a very male-dominated industry — as we used to say “The Good Old Boy Network” — and it is not like that anymore,” said Diane Svehlak of Volley Tequila Seltzer. She spoke to Hard Seltzer News about the rise of women in the industry.
“It is progressing in such a rapid phase that it’s encouraging… We have women tribes in our industry that we stay very close in tune with in a lot of our organizations, and I’m telling you there are VPs that I know that are killing it.”
Camila Soriano is the cofounder and CFO at Volley. She was recently interviewed by Forbes to discuss the challenges of launching a brand and a family during the COVID-19 pandemic. She offered tips that include surrounding yourself with quality people who have needed expertise. “Especially when you are venturing into unfamiliar territory, you need to hire people who have specific knowledge in the areas you need.”
“It is so refreshing to see after so many years that we really truly are making a true difference in what is happening in today’s [beverage industry].” Svehlak added.
Heineken
Women are leading the drinks industry forward at all levels. In 2018, Heineken USA promoted Maggie Timoney
to the position of CEO, becoming the first woman CEO of a major US beer company. Timoney came to Heineken with over 25 years of beer business experience. She served as CEO of the Ireland division of the company for five years before taking the helm in her home country. In her college days, Timoney played basketball for Iona College in New Rochelle, NY, having graduated in 1989. “I was put in this job not because I am a woman,” she said at the time of being named CEO.
Heineken has announced several hard seltzer entries, including Dos Equis Ranch Water, and Bask, a crossover hoppy hard seltzer. Heineken USA is bringing Canijilla to souther US states after success south of the border. It also has entered into a partnership with AriZona beverages to launch Sunrise hard seltzer.
Stone Brewing
Stone Brewing is also helmed by a woman; Maria Stipp began her tenure as CEO in September of last year. The San Diego-based craft brewery is getting ready to release its own Good Stuff Hard Seltzer as it shifts gears from hoppy, high ABV IPAs to lighter and trendier beverages.
Stipp’s leadership catapulted Lagunitas Brewing to a national and international influential brand. In a short five years at the Petaluma, CA-based craft brewer, Stipp changed the way the Lagunitas brand is perceived and ensured availability to a worldwide audience.
“We’ll no doubt benefit from her strong leadership,” said Greg Koch, founder of Stone, at the time of the announcement.
This Women’s History Month, let’s raise a glass to all of the women who are innovating the drinks industry.
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