WSWA Annual Membership Forum Equips Wine and Spirits Wholesaler Leaders to Navigate Market, Policy and Technology Shifts

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) brought together wholesale owners, CEOs, executives and Board members from across the country for its 2026 Annual Membership Forum, held October 1-2 in Chicago. Over two days, members gained actionable insights into market conditions, public policy priorities, technology and the forces shaping the future of the wholesale tier.

The Forum gives members the opportunity to meet on the challenges and opportunities facing the wine and spirits industry. Sessions focused on strengthening the wholesaler voice, advancing advocacy priorities, interpreting changing consumer and economic trends, and identifying practical opportunities for businesses to compete and grow.

"More change means more opportunity, and our job is to make sure our members have the tools, resources and public policy environment they need to compete and grow," said Francis Creighton, President and CEO of WSWA. "The Forum is one of the most important events we have each year to listen to our members, share what we're seeing across the industry and work together on the issues that matter most to the wholesale tier."

Advancing the Wholesale Tier's Policy Priorities

Advocacy anchored the Forum's programming. WSWA leadership briefed members on the association's federal and state policy priorities, WSWA-PAC and the regulatory landscape.

Members also received an update on intoxicating hemp beverages, a growing market that lacks consistent federal oversight. WSWA is advocating for the Beverage Regulatory Parity Act (H.R. 10079), which would establish clear, consistent rules for these products.

Data and Insights to Guide Business Decisions

SipSource® Analyst Danny Brager presented the latest wine and spirits market data from SipSource, WSWA's market intelligence platform built on aggregated distributor depletion data. His assessment showed an industry facing several macroeconomic challenges at once, and every major beverage alcohol category, including core spirits, wine and beer, remains in decline, though the data show considerable stabilization.

Brager stressed that there are still bright spots for the beverage alcohol industry, and that consumers are still drinking, but differently. Smaller formats are trending up, while true premiumization is largely absent. Pressure on shelf space and assortment continues, with points of distribution declining between three and five percent over the last couple of years across both wine and core spirits, and on- and off-premise. Channel performance has diverged materially. On-premise is outperforming off-premise, and that gap has widened every month.

In a difficult market, Brager noted, reliable data matters more than ever, as businesses look for facts to guide sales, forecasting and strategic decisions.

Julie Rousseau and Chase Curtis of Atwood Group added an economic and financial outlook, covering the broader market conditions most relevant to wholesalers.

Turning AI Into Practical Businesses Value

Brooks Hamilton, Founder and CEO of AI Strategy Advisors, examined AI adoption across the wholesale tier. He distinguished meaningful changes inside distribution businesses from industry hype and offered a practical framework for prioritizing investments that deliver real business value.

Ajay Rai of Masava, the 2026 Forum sponsor, showed how AI can connect fragmented systems, improve organizational visibility, reduce inefficiencies and optimize resource allocation.

Member Engagement and the Road Ahead

Members met in Large and Small Enterprise Council sessions to set member priorities for the year ahead. The Forum also marked a transition in WSWA Board Leadership, with Michael Hertz of United Distributors succeeding Cutter Smith as Chairman for 2027.

Daniel Lippman, White House and Washington reporter for POLITICO, offered an insider's view of the political dynamics shaping policy and decision-making in Washington.

Mark Brown, Executive Chairman of Sazerac Company, closed the Forum with a look at the forces shaping beverage alcohol and the industry's road ahead.

"There's an enormous amount of change happening across the industry from suppliers and wholesalers to retailers and consumers, but I think many media headlines over-emphasize the industry's decline," said Brown. "At the same time, the neo-prohibitionist movement presents a challenge that reaches every part of beverage alcohol. This is an area where suppliers, wholesalers and retailers can—and must—stand together to defend a responsible, well-regulated marketplace and tell a stronger, unified story about our industry," said Brown. 

About Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America
WSWA is the national trade association representing the distribution tier of the wine and spirits industry, dedicated to advancing the interests and independence of distributors and brokers of wine and spirits. Founded in 1943, WSWA has more than 380 member companies in 50 states and the District of Columbia, and its members distribute more than 80 percent of all wine and spirits sold at wholesale in the United States.   

To learn more, please visit www.wswa.org or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. 

MEDIA CONTACT
Christy Moran
Senior Vice President, Communications & Marketing
[email protected] | (202) 669-3293

SOURCE Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America