TORONTO, June 1, 2026 /CNW/ - Asahi Canada has announced a strategic partnership with Coldhaus Direct, who will represent the company's portfolio across Ontario's rapidly growing Convenience & Gas channel, as well as Walmart locations throughout the province.

This collaboration marks an important step in Asahi Canada's ongoing growth strategy in Ontario, expanding access to its premium international beer and beverage portfolio and strengthening execution across this key retail channel in Ontario. The portfolio includes globally recognized brands such as Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Asahi Super Dry, Grolsch Pilsner, Pilsner Urquell, Tyskie, Lech, Kozel, Żubr, and RTD Vodka Mudshake, offering consumers a diverse selection of premium beer and ready-to-drink options.

Following the province's landmark decision in Fall 2024 to permit the sale of beer and wine in approximately 5,500 convenience outlets for the first time, approximately 20% of beer sales now occur in convenience stores*. With premiumization emerging as a key consumer trend**, this partnership will give retail partners wider access to Asahi Canada's ready-made portfolio. In addition, from June both Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Asahi Super Dry brands will launch new 4x500ml can pack formats specifically to meet the needs of the channel with a grab and go format for impulse and spontaneous get togethers.

Katelin Bernard, Head of Sales at Asahi Canada, commented, "We're thrilled to be working with Coldhaus Direct. We're aligned in our ambition to empower retailers to leverage our international premium offering and their instore support to drive growth, and through doing this, offering consumers more choice in the convenience & gas channel."

With more than two decades of experience in direct store delivery and convenience retail, Coldhaus Direct will support Asahi Canada through frontline sales execution; accelerating distribution, increasing in-store presence and driving sales performance. Coldhaus Direct's investment in a robust route-to-market solution and established retailer relationships will play a key role in supporting Asahi Canada's ambition to build distribution, visibility, and long-term growth across the province.

"Partnering with Coldhaus Direct allows us to rapidly strengthen our route to market in Ontario and unlock the full potential of the convenience channel," adds Bernard. "Their expertise, proven execution capabilities, and focus on premium brands make them an ideal partner as we continue to drive growth in this channel."

*Source: Ontario, LCBO Wholesale, Convenience Channel Share, All Beer, HL, R3 PE P12 Feb 2026
**Source: Ontario, LCBO Wholesale, All Channels, Import Branded Beer, Dollars, R13 PE P12 Feb 2026

About Asahi Canada

Asahi Canada is home to a collection of international super premium beer brands and iconic RTDs in Canada, including Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Asahi Super Dry, Grolsch, Kozel, Pilsner Urquell, Vodka Mudshake and Twisted Shotz. With offices in Ontario and Québec, Asahi Canada aims to provide innovative, high-quality beverages to the nation. It is a purpose-led organisation with a strong focus on employees and contributing to the local communities where it operates. Visit AsahiCanada.ca to learn more.

SOURCE Asahi

LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- This June, Louisville-based distiller Michter's will be releasing its 10 Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Rye.

"At tastings, we occasionally encounter bourbon drinkers who are reluctant to taste rye because of past experiences," observed Michter's President Joseph J. Magliocco. "We explain that Michter's makes Kentucky style rye that is different from many other American ryes. More often than not, those bourbon drinkers discover that they really enjoy our rye."

"We make a Kentucky style rye that has more corn and malted barley in its mashbill than many other ryes. The result is a well balanced rye whiskey that has a rich sweetness and a flavor complexity that complement its spice notes," said Michter's Master Distiller Dan McKee.

Rye whiskey has been a focus for Michter's for over a quarter of a century. According to Michter's Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson, the whiskey's cooperage and aging are crucial to ensuring the quality and character of Michter's 10 Year Rye. Wilson explained, "A critical component of aging Michter's 10 Year Rye is creating a barrel that is going to accentuate the beauty and elegance of a Kentucky style rye after aging for over 10 years. This whiskey possesses a balance of complexity and refinement driven through baking spice, citrus, and floral characteristics, all of which are bolstered by the sweetness and maturity of the oak."

A 92.8 proof (46.4% alcohol by volume) spirit, Michter's 10 Year Rye is a single barrel whiskey, and it has a suggested retail price of $210 in the U.S.

In October 2025, Michter's became the first whiskey to be named in three consecutive years The World's Most Admired Whiskey by an international academy of voters convened by UK-based Drinks International. Michter's has a rich and long legacy of offering traditional American whiskeys of uncompromising quality. With each of its limited production offerings aged to its peak maturity, Michter's highly acclaimed portfolio includes bourbon, rye, sour mash whiskey, and American whiskey. For more information about Michter's, please visit michters.com

WINDSOR, ON, May 25, 2026 /CNW/ - Today, J.P. Wiser's is proud to announce the launch of the Master Blender Series, a new collection released annually which celebrates the pinnacle of blending innovation, with the inaugural Master Blender Series 2026 Release now available as a distillery exclusive. The expression reframes blending as the ultimate mark of expertise and creativity, challenging the long-standing misconception that blending is a compromise in quality, and coincides with the celebration of Master Blender Dr. Don Livermore's 30th anniversary at the historic Hiram Walker Distillery.

As one of the world's few Master Blenders with a PhD in wood science and a background in microbiology, Dr. Don Livermore has spent three decades pushing the boundaries of Canadian whisky. The Master Blender Series 2026 Release draws inspiration from his academic roots, mirroring the foundations of his renowned Dissertation whisky. It utilizes an identical grain composition of rye and corn and a dual-distillation approach in both column and pot stills, the very method that earned him his PhD.

"In my 30 years at the Hiram Walker distillery, I've had the opportunity to work on a number of high-quality J.P. Wiser's Canadian whiskies," says Master Blender Dr. Don Livermore. "By returning to the foundations of my original 'Dissertation' blend, I wanted to take the scientific roots of rye, corn, and dual-distillation, and push them into exciting new territory to create the Master Blender Series."

While rooted in tradition, Dr. Don has advanced this blend into new territory by layering a global character through a sophisticated multi-cask finishing process. Bottled at 46.1% abv, this intricate harmony of wood and spirit yields a deeply complex, velvety profile featuring notes of succulent Bosc pear, indulgent dark chocolate, and the warm, artisanal spice of rye sourdough. The whisky was finished in a unique combination of:

• Black Sea Oak
• Once-used Speyside Malt Barrels
• Port Casks
• Heavily Charred White Oak

"The Master Blender Series is about showcasing the incredible complexity that true blending expertise can achieve," says Maura Cowan, VP of Marketing. "By introducing a global character through unique cask finishes like Black Sea Oak and Speyside barrels, this inaugural release shows exactly how J.P. Wiser's continues to redefine the Canadian whisky landscape. It is a true testament to the artistry and innovation behind Canadian whisky."

This release is a true distillery exclusive available only through jpwisers.com for $89.95. With only 1,500 bottles produced, the Master Blender Series 2026 Release offers enthusiasts a chance to own a piece of Dr. Don Livermore's 30-year legacy and is a testament to the innovation redefining the Canadian whisky landscape. Get yours today!

WASHINGTON, May 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. beverage alcohol industry remains in a continued contraction across core spirits and wine, according to first quarter SipSource^® data from Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA). Cumulative inflation now including rising gas prices, tight inventories and consumer trade-down behavior continue to pressure all three tiers, although March 2026 provided a modest sign of improvement—particularly for wine revenue and on-premise channels—partially influenced by calendar timing and one additional shipping day compared to Q1 2025.

"The current environment reflects tighter portfolio management, ongoing SKU rationalization and more value-oriented consumer behavior," said SipSource analyst Danny Brager. "At the same time, spirits-based ready-to-drink cocktails (RTDs) remain a bright spot—but in an increasingly crowded segment where innovation, positioning and disciplined execution matter more than ever," he continued.

Core spirits closed Q1 down -4.4% in volume and -5.7% in revenue on a 12-month basis, while wine closed the quarter down -8.3% in volume and -5.3% in revenue. The data also points to premiumization pressure in key categories: spirits are de-premiumizing across price tiers and several key segments, such as Tequila, with pressure in the $50+ range. While table wine's volume decline continues to fall faster than its revenue trend, the higher end price tiers are only performing "relatively" better than the lower end but still not growing, and significant discounting is still apparent at the higher end, raising fresh questions about the strength of premiumization in wine.

"SipSource gives the industry a clear picture of where pressure is persistent, where trends may be stabilizing, and where pockets of growth are emerging across categories, channels and price tiers," said Eric Schmidt, WSWA's Director of SipSource.

Spirits-based RTDs continue to significantly outperform broader beverage alcohol trends. The segment now represents a meaningful and growing share of the alcohol landscape, but with more than 750 spirits-based prepared cocktail brands in an increasingly crowded category, competition is intensifying as suppliers chase sustained consumer demand.

Distribution and Channel Trends

Points of distribution (POD) continued to decline in Q1, though the pace moderated from earlier periods. PODs were down -3.2% in the most recent period, compared with a peak decline of -5.0% back in 2025, reflecting continued SKU rationalization and inventory adjustment across retail and on-premise accounts. Total accounts remain down -0.5%.

Combined wine and spirits on-premise volume declined -3.0%, continuing to outperform off-premise, which declined -7.4%. Despite higher rates of inflation "away from home" compared to "at home," on-premise trends have improved gradually over the past year, while off-premise softness has remained more persistent.

Spirits: Value-Oriented Purchasing Continues

Total spirits ended Q1 down -5.1% in volume and -5.9% in revenue. The 130-basis-point gap between core spirits volume (-4.4%) and revenue (-5.7%) represents the widest spread recorded in SipSource data and underscores continued consumer movement toward lower-priced products. The $50–$99.99 tier declined -8.8%, while the $100-plus tier declined -9.3%.

Tequila and agave spirits, which expanded from 9.4% to 13.3% of core spirits volume over the past six years, declined -3.0% in volume and -6.6% in revenue in Q1. One year ago, luxury tequila revenue trends were growing at +4.2%.

Wine: Revenue Trends Improve Modestly While Volume Remains Soft

Wine revenue trends improved 80 basis points from the end of 2025, closing March at -5.3%, while volume remained down -8.3%. The sub-$5.00 tier, which represents 22.2% of all wine volume, declined -19.1%.

Wine segments posting positive revenue growth included wine-based cocktails (+11.8%), Prosecco (+6.1%), Champagne (+2.0%), Sauvignon Blanc (+1.1%), and Sake (+1.3%)

On-premise wine revenue declined -2.3%, compared with -6.0% in off-premise channels.

RTDs Continue to Outperform Broader Beverage Alcohol Trends

Spirits-based RTDs increased +30% on dollars and now account for 28% of total spirits volume in the off-premise channel. Wine-based RTDs increased close to +14%, while malt-based RTD—still the largest segment of RTD dollars—continued to decline, according to NIQ.