Beverage World - May 2008 - (Page 26) [COVERSTORY] ’s Sky The By Heather Landi Success seems to be written in the stars for Constellation Brands as the leading beverage alcohol company strengthens its position across the imported beer, wine and spirits markets. Limit Constellation continues its aggressive growth strategy and is now well positioned to satisfy consumers’ needs in every usage occasion. While Constellation has the scale and resources of a global company with more than 250 brands, the company’s successful business model is inherently built on an entrepreneurial approach, where each division has an independent sales and marketing team that can rapidly respond to changing consumer trends. “I think managing our portfolio of products is really the key to our success,” remarks Robert Sands, Constellation Brands’ president and CEO. “We’ve got a large portfolio that is designed to meet all consumers’ needs and managing that portfolio is a difficult task and it’s something that we do superlatively.” Originally named Canandaigua Industries Co., the company was established in 1945 by Marvin Sands, Robert and chairman of the board Richard Sands’ father. During more than 50 years in the business, Marvin Sands established a legacy of growing the company through strategic acquisitions and product innovations, including Richard’s Wild Irish Rose and Arbor Mist wine brands and Sun Country Cooler wine coolers. With an effectively managed growth strategy, Constellation’s acquisitions have increased the company’s breadth and depth of product lines and its geographic BEVERAGEWORLD.COM PHOTOGRAPHY (TOP R.) © 2008 FOREST MCMULLIN T o say that 2007 was a remarkable year for Fairport, N.Y., USA-based Constellation Brands is a bit of an understatement. The leading international producer and marketer of beverage alcohol brands hit the ground running as its newly formed joint venture with Grupo Modelo, Crown Imports, began operations in January 2007 as the sole US importer and marketer of six of the Top 20 imorted beer brands. In March 2007, Constellation acquired Svedka Vodka, the fastest-growing major imported premium vodka in the US, and the company capped off the year with its US$885 million acquisition of Fortune Brands’ wine business, Beam Wine Estates, further strengthening its super premium and luxury wine portfolio. With a broad portfolio that encompasses wine, imported beer and spirits, Constellation is not only the world’s largest wine maker by volume, but also the largest multi-category beverage alcohol supplier in the US and Canada, a leading producer and exporter of wine from Australia, New Zealand and Canada and a major producer and independent drinks wholesaler in the United Kingdom with 2007 net sales of US$5.2 billion. With a strategic focus on solidifying its position as the largest premium wine company in the world as well as expanding its premium spirits offerings, 26_BEVERAGE WORLD_AUGUST 2007 WORLD_MAY 2008 http://BEVERAGEWORLD.COM
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