Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is the largest alcohol wholesaler in the United States. We caught up with Mark Chaplin, John Wittig, and David Chaplin, three of Sourthern’s senior executives, to discuss the toughest issues facing alcohol distribution in 2025 and increasing pressure to become a total beverage distributor.
Note: This episode was recorded only a few days prior to Southern’s acquisition of AB InBev’s wholly owned New York City distribution operations. In the coming weeks, we will have the Southern team back on the show to discuss that transaction.

Catch up on our additional coverage of route-to-market strategy:

REPORT: National alignment: How US wine and spirits brands can get the most out of their wholesaler

PODCAST: How to negotiate a better distribution agreement
PODCAST: What is driving wholesaler consolidation?

PODCAST: Do wine and spirits wholesalers need to be more like beer distributors?

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Check out the rest of our written research: rabobank.com/knowledge

Note: The content and opinions presented within this podcast are not intended as investment advice, and the opinions rendered are that of the individuals and not Rabobank or its affiliates and should not be considered a solicitation or offer to sell or provide services.

Disclaimer: Please refer to our global RaboResearch disclaimer at https://www.rabobank.com/knowledge/disclaimer/011417027/disclaimer for information about the scope and limitations of the material published on the podcast.

With tariffs, falling demand, and an unfavorable exchange rate, it can feel as though the cosmos are conspiring to make life hard for US importers. However, many import brands and bulk products remain very competitive in the US market. In this episode, we discuss how importers are adjusting to survive and if not thrive in the current operating environment. This is episode two from our discussion with Ryan O’Hara, CEO of MHW, and Serena Campell, Operations Director for USA Wine West.

Check out episode one here: How to import wine and spirits into the US

Want to sign up for our written research? Have a question, qualm, or story to tell, reach out via email: Bourcard.Nesin@Rabobank.com

Check out the rest of our written research: Rabobank.com/knowledge

Note: The content and opinions presented within this podcast are not intended as investment advice, and the opinions rendered are that of the individuals and not Rabobank or its affiliates and should not be considered a solicitation or offer to sell or provide services.

Disclaimer: Please refer to our global RaboResearch disclaimer at https://www.rabobank.com/knowledge/disclaimer/011417027/disclaimer for information about the scope and limitations of the material published on the podcast.

Winning in the US market is the holy grail for many brands around the world, but how do you get started? What type of importer should you use, what should you expect from them, and what should you be prepared to bring to the table? What gets an importer excited to support your brand? In this episode we speak with Ryan O’Hara, CEO of MHW, and Serena Campbell, Operations Director for USA Wine West, for a crash course on how to maximize your chance of succeeding in the competitive, confusing, and tremendously large US wine and spirits market. This is part 1 of a two-part episode.

Want to sign up for our written research? Have a question, qualm or story to tell, reach out via email: Bourcard.Nesin@Rabobank.com

Check out the rest of our written research: Rabobank.com/knowledge

Note: The content and opinions presented within this podcast are not intended as investment advice, and the opinions rendered are that of the individuals and not Rabobank or its affiliates and should not be considered a solicitation or offer to sell or provide services.

Disclaimer: Please refer to our global RaboResearch disclaimer at https://www.rabobank.com/knowledge/disclaimer/011417027/disclaimer for information about the scope and limitations of the material published on the podcast.