Ferron Salniker

Ferron Salniker

Spirits Editor

Ferron Salniker is the Spirits Editor, guiding our coverage of the spirits and RTD cocktail space. She reports for BevNET.com and Brewbound.com on everything from new subcategories in established liquor types to the growth of the craft spirits business.

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Posts by Ferron Salniker

Mocktail Club Cracks The Control State Retail Channel

Mocktail Club Cracks The Control State Retail Channel

Mocktail Club, the NA sparkling beverage brand founded by Pauline Idogho in 2019, has accomplished an unlikely feat: landing placement in 100 Virginia ABC stores, possibly one of the first times an adult non-alc (ANA) brand has cracked a control state system.

Pete Marino to Exit Bardstown Bourbon

Pete Marino to Exit Bardstown Bourbon

Bardstown Bourbon’s president Pete Marino is leaving his post in June after three years with the company.

Former Casamigos Colleagues Launch RTD

Former Casamigos Colleagues Launch RTD

The former executive team behind Casamigos (minus its celebrity owners) is making another move in the bev-alc industry with Por Qué No, a ready-to-drink (RTD) tequila and vodka offering.

New Diageo CEO Dave Lewis Sets His Sights On RTDs

New Diageo CEO Dave Lewis Sets His Sights On RTDs

Diageo’s new CEO Dave Lewis is reframing ready-to-drink offerings as an opportunity for the spirits giant, but after years of focus on the top end of the shelf, the group has ground to make up.

Carbliss Targets C-Store with New Malt Tallboy Format

Carbliss Targets C-Store with New Malt Tallboy Format

Carbliss, the ready-to-drink (RTD) vodka-based cocktail that has become one of the breakout independents in its category, is rolling out a malt-based tallboy across seven Midwestern states.

Court Dismisses Uncle Nearest Bankruptcy Case, Leaving Receivership Intact

Court Dismisses Uncle Nearest Bankruptcy Case, Leaving Receivership Intact

The legal battle over Uncle Nearest has taken another dramatic turn: Founder Fawn Weaver’s attempt to use bankruptcy court to wrest control of the bourbon brand from a court-appointed receiver lasted less than 48 hours before a judge threw the petition out.

Blueprint for Scale: How Mission Craft Cocktails Went From 2K to 80K Cases

Blueprint for Scale: How Mission Craft Cocktails Went From 2K to 80K Cases

The founders of Mission Craft Cocktails, the Southern California brand built on bar-strength bottled cocktails made with premium ingredients, see their company as a David in a segment of Goliaths. In their sling: a bet on economies of scale, format innovation and a purpose-driven brand.

Margarita RTDs Outpacing Hard Tea

Margarita RTDs Outpacing Hard Tea

The ready-to-drink (RTD) margarita is outpacing some of the industry’s hottest new RTD segments, with high ABV and spirit-based versions picking up steam, according to a new report from Bump Williams.

NIQ: Adult Non-Alc Needs to ‘Move Beyond Flavor Extensions’

NIQ: Adult Non-Alc Needs to ‘Move Beyond Flavor Extensions’

Non-alcoholic (NA) wine, beer and spirits still account for less than 1% of total alcohol category sales – leaving a runway for brands that innovate with popular functional ingredients, according to a new report from market research firm NIQ.

Former SGWS Employees Indicted For Bribery Scheme in California Grocery Chains

Former SGWS Employees Indicted For Bribery Scheme in California Grocery Chains

A federal grand jury has indicted five former senior executives at Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits (SGWS) – the largest alcohol distributor in the U.S. – along with a salesman from a major Napa Valley wine company, on charges stemming from an alleged bribery scheme that prosecutors say ran for nearly a decade and earned favors from California’s largest grocery retail chains.