The craft brewing business accounted for nearly $29 billion in beer sales last year, which is nearly one-quarter of the $120 billion beer industry revenue in the United States. But of the nearly 10,000 craft brewers in the country, only about 1% are Black individuals. A group of like-minded Black entrepreneurs now are setting out ― determined to change this dynamic.

In honor of the first known African American master distiller Nearest Green, Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey brings the master distiller’s legacy to life with its award-winning portfolio of American Whiskeys.

Love Cork Screw partnered with Peacock to support the new series “The Best Man: The Final Chapters.” To coincide with the series, consumers can purchase premium gift bundles, which include wine, candles, body butter, apparel, and more.

Drizly, an Uber Company and a leading beverage alcohol eCommerce shop, announced its Sip with Purpose initiative, a new program dedicated to supporting and driving growth of brands owned by members of historically underrepresented groups in the beverage alcohol industry. This initiative includes a $4 million media commitment to raise awareness and support these brands, as well as the launch of Drizly’s Brand Accelerator Program.

The McBride Sisters SHE CAN Fund announced its support of women in the food and wine industries as the prime focus of its Professional Development Fund in 2022. The SHE CAN Fund also reveals the results of its Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Initiative and Academic Scholarship Program in partnership with Southern University, which awarded $50,000 to Southern University's Agricultural Research and Extension Center and College of Agricultural Family and Consumer Sciences (SU Ag).

Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, the flagship brand of Nearest Green Distillery, Shelbyville, Tenn., released of its long-awaited new packaging containing whiskey 100-percent distilled, aged and bottled by Uncle Nearest. It also unveiled its 2022 slate of whiskeys, which uses four different recipes. 

The Jack Daniel's Distillery and the Nearest Green Distillery announced that Minneapolis-based Du Nord Social Spirits, a small batch distillery producing gin, vodka, liqueurs and whiskeys, is the first graduate of the Business Incubation Program, one of the core pillars of the Nearest & Jack Advancement Initiative. 

When looking across various industries, representation among minority-owned brands remains low. Although this underrepresentation also affects the beverage industry, more companies are making an effort to reduce this gap through capital investments.

Constellation Brands Inc., Victor, N.Y., has acquired a minority stake in the fast-rising rosé label, La Fête du Rosé ― a brand created to cater to diverse drinkers who share common interests across travel, food, experiences and wine. The investment was made through Constellation’s venture capital group and represents the first company to receive investment dollars as part of Constellation’s Focus on Minority Founders initiative, which plans to invest $100 million in Black, Latinx, and minority-owned businesses by 2030, it says.