What's Trending— Tracking Spirits in the Modern M&A Market
Jul 24, 2024
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In this insightful discussion, Emmett Strack, an M&A expert in the beverage alcohol sector, breaks down the dynamic landscape of mergers and acquisitions post-2020. He explores how consumer behavior and pandemic innovations have shaped investment trends. The talk dives into Black Button Distilling's investment journey with Constellation Brands and the increasing prominence of ready-to-drink cocktails, revealing how craft spirits are navigating market shifts. Strack's analysis provides a compelling look at what drives investors in 2024.
The beverage alcohol M&A landscape has shifted from high growth to cautious investment due to inflation and rising interest rates in 2023.
Craft brands must prioritize sustainable practices and positive cash flow over aggressive expansion to navigate the changing market dynamics.
Deep dives
Current State of M&A in Beverage Alcohol
The beverage alcohol industry is experiencing a complex M&A landscape shaped by recent economic changes and consumer behaviors. During the pandemic, brands that thrived were those with products available for off-premise retail, as consumers shifted to home consumption, leading to increased innovation and brand launches. Acquirers took notice, driven by low interest rates and abundant consumer spending, resulting in numerous high-profile acquisitions between 2020 and 2022. However, with the onset of inflation and rising interest rates in 2023, the market saw a decline in M&A activity as businesses faced cautious financial environments and uncertainty.
Factors Influencing Investment Trends
The discussions highlighted the evolving priorities of strategic investors in the beverage landscape, particularly concerning brand growth and market positioning. In previous years, the threshold for a successful acquisition was lower, but now acquirers prefer brands with case volumes exceeding 100,000 annually to justify their investments. Additionally, the changing dynamics of consumer spending and a more discerning approach to brand integration have forced companies to reassess their acquisition strategies. As firms analyze their portfolios, there is a clear trend toward consolidating to streamline operations and focus on higher-volume, core brands.
Navigating Craft Brand Growth and Profitability
For craft brands, the choice between growth and profitability has become critical in the current market climate. Investors now prioritize positive cash flow over aggressive expansion, encouraging brands to establish sustainable business practices rather than solely aiming for a lucrative exit. Participants emphasized the importance of maintaining margin discipline and avoiding overextension into multiple, less profitable markets. A strategic focus on optimizing brand positioning and understanding local market dynamics can help craft businesses succeed without relying on M&A for growth.
Emerging Beverage Categories and Market Opportunities
Looking ahead, ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages are positioned as a thriving category, experiencing substantial interest from investors despite the challenges of identifying standout brands within the segment. Spirits, in general, are showing robust consumer demand, particularly whiskey and tequila, whereas the craft beer segment is struggling to maintain its momentum. Furthermore, the convergence of traditional beverage companies is reshaping market strategies, with beer producers expanding into spirits and recognizing the need for diversified portfolios. Hyper-localization trends are also emerging, where small regional brands focusing on local identity may offer unique opportunities for growth and collaboration.
From the start of the 2020s, beverage alcohol's merger and acquisition sector has proved to be a dynamic lens through which the wider spirits market can be evaluated. The last four years have seen the M&A market go through phases of high growth, diversification, and contraction.
At this year's American Craft Spirits Association Convention in Denver, Emmett Strack was joined by a group of experts within the M&A landscape to discuss the ebbs and flows of investment activity in recent years. The group offers insight into the market conditions, performing categories, and underlying consumer behavior driving investor decision-making in 2024.
The conversation gives a unique window into the criteria brands need to satisfy for strategic acquirers to consider making an investment. It examines Black Button Distilling's journey of initial investment and subsequent divestiture by Constellation Brands.
Featured Guests:
Kevin O'Brien, Managing Director, BMO Capital Markets
Ryan Lake, Managing Director, Arlington Capital Advisors
Jason Barrett, CEO & Master Distiller, Black Button Distilling