There is a simple tool in our kit to educate state lawmakers who set the rules and regulations for the Three Tier System: the warehouse tour.
We sit down with the NBWA’s David Christman, a more than 20-year veteran of the National Beer Wholesalers Association who today manages state-level affairs for the association and is a main point of contact for state wholesaler associations. They discuss a number of issues impacting every tier of the Three Tier system, from “crossover” brands (a la hard sodas and teas) to post-COVID direct-to-consumer regulations, craft beer challenges, the rise of canned cocktails and Virginia’s new self-distribution system for brewers.
It ended up being a pretty light year on the Alcoholic Beverage Control front this General Assembly Session — but that was certainly no accident.
Leading up to the 2023 Session, our opponents were shopping legislation to allow for issuing of credit by wholesalers, central warehousing, uncontrolled self-distribution by craft brewers, retail-to-retail sales, and privatization, among other causes for concern ...
We sit down with Lester Jones, Chief Economist for the National Beer Wholesalers Association. Lester’s the guy industry watchers and media turn to for insights into not only the wholesale tier, but the brewer and retail levels, too. He brings us a look at what the next few months could bring beer makers, distributors, and sellers, and discusses the blurring lines in tastes and consumer preferences. Be sure to also view/download Lester’s latest industry update.
Travis Hill took some time to talk to VBWA from the new ABC headquarters in Hanover County, a sprawling 40-acre, 315,000-square-foot site (expandable to nearly 400,000 square feet) that sees every bottle of liquor sold in the Commonwealth pass through its warehouse. He discussed this new location, his upbringing, detailed the latest on enforcement hiring, and even shared his favorite spirit. Read a portion of his interview here, or listen on our podcast below.
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has a message for Virginia’s beer distributors: “Thanks for what you do, for being job creators and poverty destroyers. Because you have provided so many opportunities and so many jobs — good paying jobs — both blue collar and white collar.”
We’re kicking off The Tap Line with an interview with one of our own: Phil Boykin, president and CEO of the VBWA, who will offer a roundup of the 2022 Virginia General Assembly session. The session covered a range of bills that impact beer consumption and distribution in Virginia.
We are pleased to report another successful session for Beer Distributors, which we could not have done without the active participation of so many of you. To everyone that showed up in Richmond, did a warehouse tour before session, contacted their legislators, answered questions from VBWA staff about how a bill could impact your business or otherwise supported our efforts, thank you! You are the secret to our continued success.
In the remaining two weeks of the General Assembly Session the focus is on the all-important budget bill, the master document that governs all state spending. The House and Senate released competing versions with major differences on tax cuts and spending. And as noted below regarding DOLI, the budget is important for reasons not all related to funding as the language included affects many policies and governing laws in the Commonwealth. The Senate and House budget conferees must create a compromise budget before the body can adjorn Sine Die.
Of the 2,574 bills introduced in the 2022 General Assembly Session, 1,106 are dead following last Tuesday's "Crossover" day deadline, when bills must have advanced to the other Chamber. The bills still in play are currently betting vetted by the non-originating body, and if approved, will advance to Governor Youngkin for his approval into law, amendments or veto.
