At last week's Access Live! – the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America's annual convention and trade show, Cutter Smith, president of Eder-Goodman called for all three tiers of the bev/al industry to work together.

He characterize today's marketplace as particularly turbulent with new product categories, regulatory pressures and an increasingly fragmented consumer base have created uncertainty and complexity, and said:

“This isn’t a time to retreat into silos. It’s a time to work together, learn from one another, and make room at the table for new ideas and new players.”

But proponents of direct shipping have other thoughts.