85th Annual TLW Spring Conference & Trade Show Summary “Together, let’s win” was an appropriate slogan for the 85th Annual TLW Spring Conference & Trade Show that ran from April 4 through 7 at the La Crosse Center. If there was an overarching mood, it was one of camaraderie and unity. Plus, the conference set a record with more than 950 individuals attending — including over 725 bar owners from all over the state — and 99 vendors. Over 650 people preregistered and more than $18,000 was secured in sponsorships. During the conference, TLW members helped raise more than $50,000 for the Wisconsin Tavern League Foundation through generous donations and participation in the Wisconsin Tavern League Foundation Raffle. In addition, over $46,000 was raised for the Direct Givers Fund and the Tavern Industry Political Action Committee (TIPAC), with $31,135 raised at the Live Auction, $2,345 at the Silent Auction and $630 through the Bean Bag Toss.
Monday, April 4 The conference commenced with the TLW Board of Directors meeting, while some TLW members attended a national certified food safety class and took an exam. In the evening, the La Crosse County Tavern League hosted a welcome party at Fox Hollow Banquet Hall with live music from the Craig Olsen Project.
Tuesday, April 5 The Nominating Committee and Rules Committee each held a meeting before everyone convened for the general session. TLW President Keith Kern welcomed TLW members to La Crosse for the 85th Annual TLW Spring Conference & Trade Show to kick off the day. Erin Farrar, TLW secretary, reported on a number of initiatives that the TLW is working on, including trying to expand its partnership with Lyft throughout the state. Then Todd Giraud, TLW treasurer, gave his report that the TLW has more than $22,000 allocated to its Direct Givers fund, which is comprised of voluntary personal contributions to be held in escrow for a later contribution to a candidate’s campaign account with the consent of the donor. Giraud further explained the TLW’s financial stability by mentioning the association has more than $3 million in investments as well. Don Mjelde, TLW sixth district director and president of the Brown County Tavern League, introduced keynote speaker Andrew Hummel, client solutions manager for the Americas at CGA, an on-premise measurement, insight and research consultancy to food and drink businesses across the globe. His presentation revealed consumer insights on the on-premise industry to help TLW members understand the data. Hummel said he ran into a bar owner at the previous night’s party and she asked him: “What the hell are you going to tell me that I don’t already know about how to run a bar?” To that end, he emphasized that CGA works exclusively in the alcohol
8
n
On Premise
n
MAY/JUNE 2022
and hospitality industry to recognize trends. He said, “We’re on-premise people first, then data people second. Our passion is understanding the experiences that make Wisconsin bars and restaurants unique.” Hummel indicated that the current state of the on-premise industry is optimistic in that the market is starting to stabilize despite product shortages, supply chain issues and labor constraints. Some specific insights he shared include: • Spirits are key to the channel. Not only did spirits gain share, but the category also accounts for the most value. • Whiskey leads the spirit category by market share, but tequila is experiencing the largest gain, with whiskey at 27.6%, vodka at 26.0%, tequila at 16.5%, cordials at 12.2%, rum at 9.8%, gin at 4.0%, cognac at 2.8% and brandy at 1.0%. • Price polarization is evident in the spirits category, driven by premiumization, with value brands claiming $5 billion in sales, while mid brands claim $8.2 billion, premium brands claim $14 billion, super-premium brands claim $6.2 billion and ultra-premium brands claim $1.6 billion. • Over the last few years, craft beer took the biggest hit in the malt beverage market, while hard seltzer has been on a run. www.tlw.org
