Experienced And Knowledgeable With Both The Alcohol beverage Industry And The Law
Over the past several months we reported on the lawsuit between New York’s Empire Merchants and Breakthru Beverage. Empire had alleged through its complaint that from 2009 to 2016, the defendants collectively conspired and acted in a criminal scheme for a period of time over the past eight years to smuggle wine and spirits, worth millions of dollars, into New…
As previously discussed, a group of plaintiffs brought a suit against Anheuser-Busch LLC in the Ninth Circuit Court arguing that the brewer’s use of the term “light” on the labeling of the Lime-A- Rita packaging was misleading to consumers as being a lighter alternative alcohol beverage. The Ninth Circuit Court affirmed the dismissal appeal of the case against Anheuser-Busch ruling that…
Just a month after Heineken settled with the California Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control (ABC) for a case against the manufacturer participating in an illegal marketing scheme aimed at consumers, the global brewer has said it will focus its social media marketing more heavily on Instagram rather than Snapchat. The Drum reported the decision is based on the average age of…
In Florida, there is a decades old prohibition that restricts grocery and large store retailers such as Walmart and Target from selling liquor products. Currently these big box retail chains are limited to selling beer and wine products but prohibited from selling spirits. Bryan Avila, R-Hialeah, sponsored a bill to amend the law requiring liquor stores and bars to be…
After recently recently reaching a settlement with Heineken USA Inc., the California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control (“CABC”), has reached another settlement for $400,000 with Anheuser-Busch, LLC wholesalers and a $10,000 settlement with Straub Distributing Company LTD for unfair marketing practices aimed at retail licensees. Additionally, approximately 34 retail licensees also received disciplinary sanctions levied against their ABC licenses for…
The saga continues in the lawsuit between New York’s Empire Merchants and Breakthru Beverage. In our blog on September 21, 2016, we had reported that Empire Merchants filed federal fraud charges against a long list of defendants including, Breakthru, Reliable Churchill, and several Maryland retailers. Empire had alleged through its complaint that from 2009 to 2016, the defendants collectively conspired…
Heineken USA, Inc. reached a settlement with the California Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control (CABC) for, according to the CABC’s press release, a violation against Heineken for participating in an “illegal marketing scheme aimed at consumers.” The settlement was reached on February 10, 2017 and will require Heineken to pay a settlement fee in the amount of $30,000. The case stems…
America has fallen in love with craft beer and big retail took notice and wants to take a chunk of the ever expanding demand. Unfortunately, some consumers have been misled by America’s largest retailer: Walmart. Walmart has been selling beers that are not truly “craft” beers, but instead private-label beers produced at a large industrial brewery in Rochester, New York.…
Perhaps the newest trend in the cannabis craze is alcohol infused with hemp or cannabis. Given the regulatory hurdles and federal prohibition, so far infusions are a cottage industry with just a handful of manufacturers producing beer, wine and spirits infused with hemp or cannabis. Since any product containing the psychoactive properties of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a violation of federal law, most…
On Tuesday February 7th a group of Plaintiffs brought a suit against Anheuser-Busch LLC in the Ninth Circuit Court arguing that the brewer’s use of the term “light” on the labeling of the Lime-A-Rita packaging was misleading to consumers as being a lighter alternative alcohol beverage. Since Bud Light is known to be lighter in calories than a regular Budweiser, the…
