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US Beverage forms spirits division
By Ted SimmonsThe new arm within US Beverage will leverage its existing network to accelerate time to market for craft and emerging spirits brands.

United States Beverage (USB) – an independent beverage company specialising in imported and domestic craft beer, ciders, speciality beverages and spirits – has formed a new spirits division to assist brands that are struggling to get the attention of national distributors. The new division will include ready-to-drink spirits products.
“For nearly three decades, US Beverage has been focused on leveraging our national network to build craft and imported beers and FMB (flavoured malt beverages) brands,” said president and CEO Justin Fisch.
“As a result of those efforts, we have an exceptional team that can provide a full suite of services for domestic and import brands, including sales and marketing, regulatory, and back-of-house logistics. We’ve also built an outstanding network of large and small distributors across the country, so it only makes sense to add a team who can leverage our exceptional skills and existing network to serve spirit brands that are looking for a more efficient route to market to fuel their continued growth.”
The new division will be led by Ken Aufiero, who brings more than two decades of sales, marketing, distributor and supplier experience in the wine and spirits industry to the role of director of spirits. Aufiero previously worked for Bacardi, Fedway Associates, and Proximo Spirits.
USB’s spirits division is also welcoming new portfolio additions of Brody’s Crafted Cocktails and Beehive Distilling. They join Dewey Crush, which signed with USB earlier in 2024.
“For some time, consolidation has been stifling opportunities for craft spirit brands to get on the radar of the multi-national organisations,” Fisch added. “As a result of our long-term history with most large and mid-tier distributors, we’re able to leverage our volume relationship to help craft brands build the distribution network that fits the next stage of their growth, while adding the brand-building programmes distributors don’t have time to develop and execute. At the same time, we’re able to take on some of the day-to-day management of spirit brands that distributors face, which streamlines the process for them, while improving the service for suppliers.”
Access to wider distribution remains a hot-button issue for the American Craft Spirits Association, as many craft brands struggle to gain market access beyond their home state. Craft distillers have difficulty growing – or in some cases, remaining open – without these growth opportunities.
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