Splash Beverage Group, a portfolio company of leading beverage brands, has named James Michael Allred as senior vice president of sales. Reporting to Splash Beverage Group president Bill Meissner, Allred will become a key member of the leadership team and be responsible for leading the sales organization, driving sales initiatives through Splash’s growing distribution network and building the size of its national retail-chain customer base.
Prior to joining Splash Beverage Group, Allred was employed by Anheuser-Busch InBev, where he held several senior-level sales roles since beginning his career there more than 20 years ago. Most recently, Allred was senior sales director of AB InBev with oversight of InBev’s largest convenience store customer, 7-Eleven, and the team of 30 that serviced this customer.
“The rapid pace of new distribution partners and chain retail customers created the need for a senior level sales position with oversight of our growing team and ever-expanding network of wholesalers,” Meissner said. “He has a proven track record of growing brands within a beer-wholesaler network comprised of the same participants as ours and a history of driving volume through the nation’s largest chain retailers. James saw the enormous opportunity Splash presents and enthusiastically joined the team.”
“As we build out distribution across the U.S.,” said CEO Robert Nistico, “it is imperative that we execute on all current and future opportunities. James is the perfect person for this job, his experience and track record are exactly what we need as the company grows. Every minute of every day, 100 percent of his focus is on distributor and retail execution … which equals more sales and revenue. James will accelerate our traction in the chains and assist our distributors with execution in the street.”
Splash Beverage Group, an innovator in the beverage industry, owns a growing portfolio of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage brands including Copa di Vino wine by the glass, SALT flavored tequilas, Pulpoloco sangria, and TapouT performance hydration and recovery drink. Splash’s strategy is to rapidly develop early-stage brands already in its portfolio as well as acquire and then accelerate brands that have high visibility or are innovators in their categories. Led by a management team that has built and managed some of the top brands in the beverage industry and led sales from product launch into the billions, Splash is rapidly expanding its brand portfolio and global distribution.
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Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol, has launched a new online book club at www.southernglazers.com/serveduppodcast. The Served Up podcast features interviews with the hospitality industry’s most respected and celebrated leaders.
Just in time for the busy holiday shopping season, book worms in the beverage industry can check out the Served Up Book Club for recommendations on some of the latest books to buy and read exclusive interviews with the authors who are sharing their knowledge, experiences and stories.
Authors featured include:
Served Up, with hosts Bridget Albert and Julie Milroy, is available on Apple, Spotify and Amazon Music and is a source for beverage professionals to hear conversations on topics such as advocacy, entrepreneurship, and belonging with food and beverage industry and social justice thought leaders representing the diverse hospitality community.
Albert is the senior director, external communications for Southern Glazer’s, a published author of Market-Fresh Mixology and award-winning mixologist with more than 25 years of hospitality industry experience. Milroy is a vice president, supplier development & marketing for Southern Glazer’s with more than 17 years of experience in the beverage alcohol industry including roles in Sales, Human Resources, Marketing, and Commercial Strategy.
To pitch a guest for the show, to submit your book for the Book Club, or to schedule the Served Up team for on-site beverage industry event coverage, contact servedup@sgws.com. For more information about the podcast visit www.southernglazers.com/serveduppodcast.
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Tennessee Brew Works and Yakima Chief Hops, a 100 percent grower-owned global supplier of premium quality hops located in the Pacific Northeast, are partnering to honor our nation’s veterans by creating a 2022 Veterans Blend beer, Hopped & Devoted hazy pale ale. The beer is available in draft and 16oz can 4-packs.
Hopped & Devoted hazy pale ale, ABV 5.2%, IBU 20, is a very easy drinker, with emphasis on fruity and citrus notes. It features the 2022 Veterans Blend from Yakima Chief Hops, which showcases five different Pacific Northwest-grown hop varieties, selected by a team of military veteran brewers across the country. Tennessee Brew Works head brewer and U.S. Army Veteran, Matt Simpson, was honored as a member of this committee.
The Veterans Blend is an annual blend, dedicated to providing a charitable donation to a new veteran-support organization each year. The fifth annual blend is comprised of HBC 586, Ekuanot, Idaho 7, Chinook and Triumph brand hops, providing a well-balanced mix of tropical, citrus, woody and sweet aromas.
Yakima Chief Hops is donating a portion of proceeds from all the Veterans Blend hop purchases, by Tennessee Brew Works and other supporting breweries across the country, to the HunterSeven Foundation, an organization that specializes in medical research and education specifically on the post 9/11 veteran cohort.
“It’s an honor to be able to connect veteran brewers with worthy support causes like HunterSeven–all the more special to do so surrounding something we all love and enjoy, beautiful hoppy beer!” said Spencer Tielkemeier, director of aales- North America, Yakima Chief Hops. “Yakima Chief Hops is proud to work with world-class brewers like Tennessee Brew Works on this year’s Veterans Blend.”
Tennessee Brew Works Head Brewer and U.S. Army veteran Matt Simpson, said, “It’s our honor to support veterans through organizations such as HunterSeven Foundation. We have a great appreciation for creating this limited beer alongside one of the premier hop suppliers, Yakima Chief, and so many other military veteran brewers across the United States.”
Hopped & Devoted was released at Tennessee Brew Works’ Taproom, 809 Ewing Ave Nashville. Veterans receive a discount with valid veteran’s ID at the Tennessee Brew Works Taproom.
Tennessee Brew Works will be on-hand for a special Hopped & Devoted release at theClass Six, 96 Michigan Ave, Fort Campbell, Ky., 3-6pm on Veteran’s Day, Friday, Nov 11.
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