Save the Date!
Leaders 2021 — Thursday, September 30, 2021 at The St. Regis
THE PRESTIGIOUS 37th ANNUAL AWARDS
HONORING THE MOST PROGRESSIVE WINE & SPIRITS MERCHANTS IN NORTH AMERICA SINCE 1984
BROWSE BANQUET GALLERY
A YEAR WHEN RETAILERS FACED UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
As the nation confronted Covid-19, with cities shut down and restaurants and bars closed, America's beverage alcohol retailers met the rising demand for wine & spirits. MARKET WATCH LEADERS were at the forefront of delivering on the surge in off-premise as consumers isolated at home.
VIDEO STATEMENT FROM THE PUBLISHER
Marvin R. Shanken
Publisher
Market Watch
New York, NY
On 37 Years of Honoring
Retail Leaders
LEADERS 2020
CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE BEST IN WINE & SPIRITS RETAILING.
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
THE EDITORS OF MARKET WATCH SELECT ONE LEADERS ALUMNUS EVERY YEAR FOR THIS HONOR.
Christian Navarro
President & Principal
Wally’s Wine & Spirits
Los Angeles, California
2016 Leader Christian Navarro excels in Los Angeles by providing access to the good life, filling his stores with the best products to create an accessible, upscale experience.
CLASS OF 2020
MARKET WATCH NAMES A NEW CLASS OF RETAIL “LEADERS,” WHO JOIN THE RANKS OF NORTH AMERICA’S BEST.
Jason Milburn
Director of Adult Beverages
The Kroger Co.
Cincinnati, Ohio
Jason Milburn is raising the quality, widening the selection, and elevating the pricing of beverage alcohol at Kroger locations all over the U.S.
Jeremy Noye
CEO
Morrell & Co.
New York, NY
Morrell & Co. CEO Jeremy Noye has reconnected the decades-old company with its roots while keeping it on the cutting edge.
Jonathan S. Blue
Owner
Blue Equity (Liquor Barn, Party Mart, DEP’s Fine Wine & Spirits)
Louisville, Kentucky
With 20 stores in Kentucky, Jonathan Blue jumped on technology early and has seen the move pay off as consumer buying habits have changed.
Tim Holden
Chairman
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Tim Holden is leading the team at the PLCB toward modernization, leveraging digital advertising, marketing,
and e-commerce.
Peter Granoff and
Debbie Zachareas
Owners and Partners
Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant & Wine Bar, Mission Bay Wine & Cheese, Oxbow Cheese & Wine Merchant
San Francisco and Napa, California
Peter Granoff and Debbie Zachareas curate a high-end wine & spirits selection at their Napa Valley and San Francisco stores.
Peggy Perry
President
Willow Park Wines & Spirits
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Peggy Perry has grown Willow Park Wines & Spirits into the biggest privately held beverage alcohol business in Canada.
LEADERS CHOICE AWARDS
VOTED ON BY OVER 200 ACTIVE LEADERS, WHO RESPONDED TO A SURVEY.
INDUSTRY EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
Alan Dreeben
Partner
Republic National Distributing Co.
One of the great pioneers in establishing wine as a part of the American lifestyle, Alan Dreeben has been part of the industry’s second tier for more than half a century.
Alan Dreeben, surprised by news of the honor.
SPIRITS BRAND OF THE YEAR
Casamigos
Casamigos Spirits Co. (Diageo)
After bursting onto the scene in 2013, Casamigos has maintained its hold on the super-premium Tequila category and experienced robust upward momentum.
Accepting Award:
Adam Rosen, Executive Vice President
WINE BRAND OF THE YEAR
Decoy by Duckhorn
Duckhorn Wine Co.
Decoy by Duckhorn has snowballed significantly since its initial refocus a decade ago. Its target is well-educated consumers who will pay a bit more for a high-quality bottle of wine.
Accepting Award:
Alex Ryan, President & CEO
BEST NEW PRODUCT AWARDS
Skrewball
Infinium Spirits
Skrewball Peanut Butter whiskey has seen exponential growth since husband-and-wife team Steven Yeng and Brittany Merrill Yeng launched the brand in San Diego two years ago.
Accepting Award:
Brittany Merrill Yeng &
Steven Yeng, Founders
The Palm by
Whispering Angel
Moët Hennessy USA
If rosé is called the entry point into wine, The Palm can surely be called the entry point into rosé. It was created to appeal to millennials and Gen-Z consumers.
Accepting Award:
Seth Kaufman, President & CEO
LEADERS ALUMNI AWARDS
HONORING LEADERS ALUMNI WHO CONTINUE TO RAISE THE BAR, INSPIRE INNOVATION, AND GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
BEST MARKETING AWARD
Jason Fremstad
Vice President of Adult Beverage
Bentonville, Arkansas
2013 Leader Jason Fremstad is
offering more variety and changing
the way beverage alcohol is
merchandised at Walmart.
BEST WEBSITE AWARD
Adithya Bethena
Owner
Super Buy-Rite Wine & Liquor
Jersey City, NJ
2013 Leader Adithya Bathena’s
Super Buy Rite website has become
increasingly important in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.
COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
Chan Cox & Robert Montgomery
Owners
Wine World
Destin, Florida
2018 Leaders and Wine World partners Chan Cox and Robert Montgomery have spearheaded and supported events that have raised millions for at-need community members.
