Constellation Brands Goes with Southern!

Wine Pimps
1

I guess in NY, somewhat of a big deal, as Empire, the largest wholesaler here, had shared the brands with Southern, now no longer…all of it moves to Southern.

Max, this does not affect where you buy your Yellowtail!

2

Damn, I thought I just got my Almaden suppliers straight!

3

This is breaking my heart. [beatoff.gif]

4

everytime they gobble up someone else it breaks my heart, I hate dealing wtih them headbang

5

Southerm just took over many great wines and vodkas from the Republic Book here in Hell. It was a trade with the Texas affiliates that provided Republic with a better exposure in Texas, a larger State.

6

Carrie,

Trust me, I can stand them as much as you do. Zippo. That was just referring to Dan’s Yellow Tail comment. Southern is an absolute joke to deal with. We deal with the most incompetent sales people, brand managers, that I have ever encountered in 20 years in biz. Truly pathetic for such a big company.

7

Pretty standard practice for such a big company.

8

Dan & Max
Do either of you sell spirits ? We don’t but since most of their incompetant sales people are so wrapped up in spirit sales they have no or little knowledge of wine, I’m sure it isn’t Coast specific but universal. Even their so called wine experts are a joke. I had one that I actually had to argue with that a product was in his book, he kept saying we don’t carry that. I said “turn to page XYZ” … Idiot ! He said, What is it?

9

Carrie,

I sell a very minimal amount of booze and I have not dealt with a sales person for that in over a decade. No point there. As far as wine, every major order we have ever placed with a manager has gotten screwed up. Three years ago I bought 100 cases of Thevenet Macon Bongran 2002. The wine took six months to get in the country. No one has ever called me to follow up or deliver it and a few months later they ended up closing it out for almost half the price I was going to pay. If that doesn’t tell you what a bunch of idiots they are, I don’t know what does.

10

While everybody is trying to survive, SWS is getting larger and larger. I once heard somewhere that they have 7 billions in sales and are 3 billion in death, wonder if thats true.

11

I have a ‘spirits dinosaur’ in my Southern collection. Knowing full well I always place my orders Tuesday for Wednesday delivery, without fail he will call me Thursday afternoon with a pitch for some random item I have no interest in but happens to be on his pitch or quota sheet for the week.

12

Carrie

We sell very little liquor. Our old store sold a little, now we sell less than a little. When we moved, I stopped dealing with liquor reps as well.

Southern is the worst wholesaler in NY. It is embarassing how painful it is to deal with them.

13

Wow, we are all surprised down here since Glazers is in bed with Southern… Republic is the lesser of two evils though. I can usually find Glazers items online for the same price we’re paying retail [beatoff.gif]. After reading this thread though I have to say our service is great!

14

I was surprised to hear they went to Republic especially considering the Glazer’s/Southern alliance. We buy very little Constellation wine anyway so I don’t care too much. I guess it’s a bigger deal in retail and chain restaurants. I’m just wondering what Glazers will pick off from Republic to compensate.

15

So in Texas, they did not go with Southern?

16

Dan, How much is in Southern’s book that you really want?
In PA their book is pretty weak, last time I saw it a few years ago.

17

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Constellation-Brands-prnews-2578160425.html?x=0&.v=1

Here is a great statement
As the leading U.S. wine and spirits distributor, Southern will apply its best-in-class sales and operations capabilities to support the growth and development of Constellation’s business in open markets and control state jurisdictions alike."

18

Southern isn’t in Texas, but we have Glazers which is in some ways worse (judging from my FL experience). Back in August Glazers and Southern formed a “National Strategic Joint Venture.” Glazers is in Arizona, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Texas.

19

I survive without doing business with Southern (nearly nothing, as Lauber Imports merged with them). I carry no spirits of theirs, and I carry no wines. That being said, their book of “cherries” is very good.

Thank you, Daniel, for the clarification. I thought Glazer’s became Southern.

20

Glazers is now in AZ with a so so book and Republic’s good wines and Spirits went to Southern. The trade was that Republic got much of Glazer’s good book in Tex a much larger market.