Wines & Spirits is experiencing growth as we emerge from the pandemic and hiring in this sector remains tight as we seek to find qualified executive candidates who have experience in social and digital media, and knowledge of emerging retail and wholesale categories.

Today, we look at the major trends we see shaping the search for talent in Wines & Spirits in 2023.

Wine & Spirits Talent Need #1: Adaptability as the Industry Evolves

The Wines & Sprits industry in 2023 differs markedly from past years. The pandemic accelerated trends that were already in place, and now consumers seek:

The convenience of using digital platforms for wine & spirits
New options like sustainable, organic, non-alc and low-alcohol options

Consumers are further learning about new brands from digital and social media, and all of this requires Wines & Spirits professionals who are well-educated on current trends and able to adapt and respond to them in their work, whether that is in sales, marketing or even production.

Wine & Spirits Talent Need #2: Proven Track Record in Using E-commerce and Digital

E-commerce and digital are becoming much more important both in direct sales to consumers, but also in terms of partnership and sales methodologies. We expect this only to grow, and that wines & spirits professionals to excel who have the following expertise:

Ability to craft successful partnerships with third party online retailers and distributors like Drizly, MiniBar, ReserveBar and Vivino.
Knowledge of the use of influencers and social media, especially TikTok, to introduce brands to customers.
Ability to use digital tools and networking techniques to stay abreast of trends and in touch with wholesale customers and suppliers.

Wine & Spirits Talent Need #3: Ability to Pivot to Emerging Categories

Younger wine & spirits consumers are looking for beverages more tailored to their lifestyles. Examples include:

The proliferation of brands like White Claw, which recently took advantage of a recent change in the law that allows vodka to have a small amount of sugar in it to introduce a new line of products including straight vodka, fruit flavored vodka and ready-to-drink cocktails.
Speaking of ready-to-drink cocktails, that category was the fastest-growing category of 2021, with over thirty percent revenue growth over 2020. We are often asked for candidates who understand this lucrative and growing market.
Non-alc and Low proof alternatives: consumers and restaurant customers are increasingly looking for low and no-alcohol products, and it can be useful for traditional Wine & Spirits professionals to know this growing space.

Wine & Spirits Talent Need #4: Deep Expertise in all Areas

One thing hasn’t changed in the past few years: we are continually seeing a high demand for sales leaders, marketing directors and other high-level executive roles within wine & spirits companies. But we also find ourselves asked to advise on positions including Head of Production and, increasingly, wine companies are looking for marketing leaders who are well-versed in the use of social media and influencers to reach coveted younger consumers.

In sum, this industry remains hot during the post-pandemic economic recovery. Contact us if you are seeking a talented Wines & Spirits professional.