SCL Partner Ethan Litwin recently spoke with BevNET about how independent distillers are finding it difficult to compete on the merits and what this may mean for consumers in their article, “A Quartet of Spirits Trends for 2025“.
In the article, Ethan commented on the idea that spirit distributors’ focus on selling products they can buy in large volumes puts small distillers at risk for consolidation.
“It’s not in Total Wine’s [Total Wine & More] interest to do single barrel picks and allocated bourbons and small runs like that – that’s not where they’re going to make their money,” said Ethan E. Litwin, antitrust partner at Shinder Cantor Lerner. “They’re going to make their money on things that they can buy in huge volume, and that’s going to put pressure on these smaller distillers, and they’ll be gobbled up.”
Further on in the article, Ethan opined that industry consolidation will “certainly lead to less choice” for consumers.
“You’ll just get more and more consolidation at the distiller level again, and that will lead to less consumer choice, which could lead to lower quality, but will certainly lead to less choice,” said Litwin.
For the full article, check out BevNET’s website here.
