😕 Spirits Industry Enters The DEI Debate

Last week, facing pressure from conservative activists online, Jack Daniel’s maker Brown-Forman dropped its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies The move follows a broader trend of major multinational companies (Starbucks, Lowes, John Deere, Ford) cutting or altering programs created to address systemic inequality in the corporate world. 

Brown-Forman’s pivot mirrors other major players in Bev-Alc that have backed away from addressing diversity in the face of conservative ire. Without diverse perspectives at the table, Brooks E. Scott, who offers leadership development and DEI coaching, argues companies will make costly mistakes like putting out products that could offend certain people, and will miss out on appealing to the fast-growing buying power of minority groups.

It’s the end of summer (mostly) and as kids return to school, the CPG Week team is returning to some of the more quirky stories from the past couple months in a playful new quiz including discussions around butter statues, food culture celebrity biopics, Pop-Tarts and “Brat Summer. The podcast brings BevNET/Nosh Editor-in-Chief Jeff Klineman on for a wide-ranging conversation that hits on the overlap of CPG and professional sports, Mars’ acquisition of Kellanova, uncertainty of the definition of “Brat” and what a Guy Fieri biopic might look like.

Listen to the full episode on Nosh.

• On-the-go water carbonation brand lands new investment
• The Snoop Effect on RTD cocktails
• How can Chevron Deference affect bev-alc?

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