One of our growers had an old tractor that had developed a bit of a wheeze—no warning lights, just a concerning rumble hinting at trouble. He’d grown used to it, like a familiar creak in the floorboards. Though he diligently logged expenses in StatsView, he hadn’t fully explored its reporting features—kind of like owning a Swiss Army knife and only using the bottle opener.  One slower afternoon, he decided to look into latest StatsView update. There it was: the maintenance costs for that tractor were creeping up, significantly higher than the others. Curious, he dug deeper and discovered the issue: fuel consumption. The old workhorse was thirstier than he realized. This sparked a thought. He checked the fuel injectors—something he might not have considered otherwise. Sure enough, one was clogged. A simple fix, and he avoided a potentially costly engine repair, all thanks to a timely insight. That’s the beauty of StatsView: it gives farmers th

By Cheryl Durzy, Founder & CEO, LibDib From my desk here at LibDib, the recent closure of Drizly has been a topic of both professional and personal contemplation. Drizly wasn't just another tech startup; it was a pioneer in the compliant delivery of alcohol, blending innovative tech with a flair for irreverent marketing—exactly what the beverage industry needed back in 2015. Despite its downfall, partly hastened by a significant data breach, I have only respect for what Drizly achieved and for its team, some of whom I've been fortunate enough to know personally. In fact, one of the Drizly founders reached out to me within days of LibDib's launch. We discussed potential synergies, shared visions and experiences that highlighted the power of innovation in our field. Later, during the pandemic, we even exchanged town hall meetings and company swag, fostering a spirit of camaraderie. These interactions are cherished memories now (along with my Drizly hoodie), especial

Afternoon Brief, June 2nd

France vs Italy: Wine's Clash of the Titans: France and Italy are the big dogs of wine, but which would come out on top if they squared off against each other?...

Welcome to our fifth installment of LibDib's multi-part series on the topic of E-Premise. This time we highlight Thirstie, a technology company that connects alcohol brands with consumers through DTC-like e-commerce, consumer adoption and data intelligence solutions. Companies like Thirstie, are part of the e-premise evolution in the three-tier system. We are thrilled to introduce you to Thirstie’s innovative solutions that are transforming the beverage alcohol industry.  What’s your company’s origin story? A: Thirstie has been a pioneer in beverage alcohol e-commerce 2014. Having started in the space as an e-commerce marketplace, we soon recognized a huge opportunity with suppliers and brands. It was evident that marketplace solutions were focused on consumers and retailers. At that time, brands and their e-commerce needs weren’t fully being addressed. In 2017 we pivoted our business model and launched the first enterprise e-commerce solution

Welcome to the first installment of LibDib’s multi-part series on E-Premise. E-Premise is a term we LibDibbers use often. It’s really important  as we think about the evolution of this industry. Now, more than ever there are three channels to invest in when developing a brand: On-Prem, Off-Prem and…E-Prem! We took some time to sit down with each of our E-Premise partners to find out more about their company and offerings to Makers. First up is Speakeasy, based in San Diego. For the newbies out there: What is E-Premise? E-Premise is a “direct to consumer” (DTC) way to build a brand online. DTC is in quotes because these programs are within the three-tier system where all orders to consumers are fulfilled via licensed retailers. In the past, wine and spirits brands were separated from the end customer (sometimes by two tiers), but E-Premise strategies have ended that division, compliantly, and allowed for more visibility into the person buying and cons

In March of 2020, the Covid-19 lockdowns and stay at home orders made online beverage alcohol sales soar 240%, and the growth continued through the year. The sudden shift in consumer behavior and regulators loosening restrictions shifted the whole beverage alcohol eCommerce landscape, leaving some producers and retailers scrambling to catch up.

On-Premise. Off-Premise. Two concepts that we, in the beverage industry, are all too familiar with. But now, there is another universe to think about when it comes to developing an alcohol brand and selling products: E-Premise.  What is e-premise and why are we talking about it these days? At LibDib, we define e-premise as a “direct to consumer” brand built primarily online. DTC is in quotes because these programs are within the three-tier system and all orders to consumers are fulfilled via licensed retailers. Makers commit time and marketing dollars to drive consumer brand building and sales through a fourth-tier platform, which drives the retailers to then purchase via LibDib as the distributor. But, one of the more interesting factors of these programs is the data collection. These fourth-tier platforms provide customer data back to the Makers, which can be used in various ways. This is a new-ish development in the wine and spirits industry.   In past years, a

Creating and executing an effective growth strategy is where a lot of successful Makers hit a stumbling block. Their wine and spirits products are selling well, there’s demand and room for expansion, but what do the next steps look like? LibDib’s Director of Maker Experience, Tanya Riesbeck, has the answers. Step one is simple: “Get out from behind the still, get out of the cellar and BE the Seller,” she says. “We know that buyers want authenticity and more than ever, people want to support small and local wine and spirits producers who pour so much into their craft.”  It’s sound advice--just as much as it’s fun wordplay. Putting a face to the name of the brand is helpful: it shows passion and pride and adds a grassroots sensibility.  Look at the recent success of Ryan Reynolds’ Aviation Gin. Of course, it certainly helps that he is the famous movie star Ryan Reynolds… but the point still stands. It wa