New company introduces wine to extensive beer distribution network
Kurt Krause knows more than a little about beer. For 35 years, he as
worked within all aspects of the beverage and beer distribution
industry – importing and marketing beer, introducing new microbrews
into mainstream retail chains, and assisting to concoct and promote
“offshoot” beverages, such as carbonated, hard liquor-based
refreshments and non-alcoholic beverages. In fact, Kurt Krause’s life’s
work has been integrating beverages into the national beer distribution
network.
Krause was exposed to the beer industry while serving in the military
during the Vietnam War. While in Germany he made contacts, and more
importantly learned and gained the expertise to begin a career upon his
return to the United States.
Based on this initial experience in Germany and his growing knowledge
of imported beers, Krause was hired as a sales manager for Schlitz
where he focused on expanding their beer catalog to include a variety
of both domestic and import beers. After his stint at Schlitz, Krause
increased his résumé by running a prominent beer wholesaler in Miami,
working as a National Sales Manager for Pabst, presiding over his own
brewery and founding his own company, Beverage Marketing Group.
“I have always used my knowledge to assist distributorships, and to
allow them to look at themselves as beverage distributors rather than
just beer distributors,” said Krause.
The culmination of these experiences gave Krause the necessary insight
into the beer industry to effectively create and integrate a new
package for wine. Based on his experience in the beer industry
and knowledge of industry guidelines for packaging, ordering, shipping,
profit margins and storage, Krause co-founded Sonoma Wine Group Inc.
Now as President and CEO of Sonoma Wine Group Inc., Krause has
developed a concept set to increase wine profits for retailers that
will conform to the established systems in place by the beer
distribution network. Through this network, Sonoma Wine Group sells
vintage California wines in a convenient, 375ml/2 glass bottle with a
twist off cap. “We offer quality wine and convenient packaging,” says
Krause. “The key to our success is our Miller/Coors distribution
network.”
When a 2005 Gallup poll found that wine had edged out beer as America’s
preferred alcoholic beverage (39% compared to beer’s 36%), Krause was
not surprised. “America is maturing,” he says. “The baby boomers are
slowing down and enjoying their new found affluence. This younger
generation of drinkers wants unfussy, easy wines.”
Why, one might wonder, haven’t beer distributors carried wine
before? “There is little trust between the beer and wine
industries,” says Krause. “In building the bridge between these
cultures, I have found successes as well as failures. But those
failures have shown me what works and what kind of product I can
successfully place into these houses.”
Sonoma Wine Group Inc. focuses on vintage varietal wine programs
exclusively designed for a myriad of uses within the national casual
dining, convenience store, hotel and other consumer-focused
industries. The business model has been praised by Miller/Coors
distributors throughout Florida, which was chosen as the first state to
focus on because of its position as #2 in the nation in wine
consumption (selling a total of 20 million nine-liter cases of wine per
year).
For more information about Sonoma Wine Group, visit www.sonomawinegroup.com.
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Media Contact:
Quantified Marketing Group
407.936.1010
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