Showing posts with label alcohol beverage distribution. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alcohol beverage distribution. Show all posts

Monday, July 6, 2009

Liquor Group files $1M+ Breach of Contract Claim Against Drinks Americas

Jacksonville, FL - Documents obtained in Duval County, FL show Liquor Group Wholesale (OTCBB:LIQR) filed claims for Breach of Contract among other counts against Drinks Americas (OTCBB:DKAM).

According to the Securities & Exchange Commission (www.SEC.gov) report, in April 2008 Liquor Group contracted and commenced representation of Drinks Americas products in the State of Michigan, an agreement which was swiftly amended to include Florida and subsequently Sixteen (16) additional states (all NABCA.org listed Control States except Mississippi) for a total of 18 US States. The contracts were for exclusive representation of brands marketed by Drinks Americas including: Trump Vodka® & Trump Flavored Vodkas®, Willie Nelson’s Old Whisky River Bourbon®, Damiana Liqueur®, Bo Dietl’s Casa BoMargo Wines®, Cohete Rum® & Aguilla Tequila®, and other Drinks Products as they become available. These agreements utilize Liquor Group’s patent pending bailment method for the sale of alcohol products to the state level. Once delivered at the state level, the privately owned Liquor Group companies or affiliated companies take over the operations representing the goods to bar/restaurant/liquor store customers.

On or about December 19, 2008, the report shows that Liquor Group notified Drinks Americas of numerous contract violations, including but not limited to overdue marketing funding and insufficient inventory to fill customer orders in excess of $300,000.00. Liquor Group documented that Drinks Americas representatives only responded to Liquor Group by saying that they would be able to bring the agreement into compliance soon.

The report goes on to show that multi-state inventory depletions and marketing fund positions were reconciled at the end of the first annum of the contract on April 1, 2009 showing a severe balance due by Drinks Americas to Liquor Group. Liquor Group also documented that Drinks Americas was given time to bring their accounts current and offered to revise the marketing agreements at this time, however no action was taken on their part to rectify Drinks Americas contract deficiencies.

At the time of this document filing, more than $800,000.00 of orders generated by Liquor Group remained unfilled by Drinks Americas, a major contract violation and contributor to the claim proceedings. The Control States of WV, IA, WY & OH have now terminated the listings of Drinks products.

When asked for a comment on the report, C.J. Eiras, President of Liquor Group Wholesale would only reluctantly state that he “Wished that Drinks Americas had the wherewithal and resources to fill these back-orders and to work this all out without it coming to this.” No one at Drinks Americas was available for comment at the time of this report.

Brandy Christine Reporting for BevNews1.com

Brandy Christine is an independent reporter specializing in the alcohol beverage industry, reporting here for the Beverage News Network BevNews1.com

Friday, May 1, 2009

Liquor Group Wholesale Shopping To Purchase Distribution Companies

Orlando, Florida

By: Brandy Christine, Financial Reporter

Executives of Liquor Group Wholesale, Inc. (OTCBB:LIQR) were in attendance at the Annual Wine & Spirits Wholesalers Association Conference (www.WSWA.org), the largest Liquor and Wine Distribution Conference in the US, however they were not just shopping the trade show floor for new alcohol beverage brands to represent. Liquor Group Wholesale Execs took the opportunity to initiate face to face talks with several state level distribution companies regarding the acquisition of their companies by Liquor Group through stock purchase.

“Our organic growth in this down market, including our triple digit increase in sales last quarter is truly amazing. We continue to be a profitable organization overall…” says C. J. Eiras, CEO “…however our organic growth strategy could be escalated through acquisitions, so we have begun the initial talks with strategic entities that can strengthen our distribution bandwidth.”

Liquor Group Wholesale is reviewing the potential of other distributors that have voiced an interest in being acquired and has begun soliciting the trade for acquisitions. As many in the industry profess, the liquor and wine industry has seen a rapid pace of consolidation over the past several years, and many small to mid sized state level distribution companies are suffering the effects of this consolidation push. The implementation of this new expansion strategy fulfills yet another commitment Liquor Group Wholesale made to its’ shareholders when the firm was taken public in 2008.