RNDC Invests in E-Commerce Platform
Republic National Distributing Co. (RNDC), a leading national wholesale distributor of premium wine and spirits, announced a strategic partnership and investment in Thirstie, the leading enterprise e-commerce provider for the beverage alcohol industry.
The partnership represents a major shift for the industry, bringing together a traditional wholesaler and an alcohol e-commerce innovator to usher in a new era in the alcohol industry.
RNDC's partnership with Thirstie will bring a compliant, technology-driven, more efficient approach to the beverage alcohol industry. Thirstie's regulator-vetted, patented platform will allow RNDC's liquor suppliers access to virtual storefronts and analytics — and will create new ways for them to engage with consumers and strengthen their relationship with RNDC.
RNDC described the deal as "transformational" for the industry.
Data-driven approach will optimize the supply chain—from manufacturing and distribution to sales and marketing. Soon, RNDC's liquor supplier partners will gain access to never-before-seen data and predictive analytics to not only grow online sales but also leverage it across other traditional parts of their business.
Online purchases of liquor and wines were a bright spot during the pandemic-era lockdown. But as bars and other venues have re-opened, and Apple's new privacy policies slashed ad ROI by 38%, the trend for digital alcohol sales slowed in 2022. However, it's expected to accelerate in the coming years as new partnerships form between industry leaders and technology companies — allowing the next generation of innovation and collaboration to materialize.
According to IWSR, beverage alcohol e-commerce sales are expected to reach more than US $42 billion across key markets by 2025 with a growth of 66%. With a quarter of global drinkers now ordering online, e-commerce represents an investment for both suppliers and retailers. Online shopping generates data, which presents novel and nuanced marketing opportunities for alcohol suppliers.
"RNDC is looking to transform the industry and this partnership with Thirstie is one of the ways we are accelerating our digital capabilities," said RNDC CEO Nick Mehall. "Thirstie is a category leader in the alcohol e-commerce space. With Thirstie's platform, as well as their extended offerings, we will make a tremendous impact on RNDC's supplier community and the industry overall."
"We see this partnership as a pivotal point for Thirstie and our customers," Thirstie CEO and co-founder Maxim Razmakhin says. "The union of two innovative leaders in the space further propels the beverage alcohol sector into a digital- and data-first mindset."
He adds, "Liquor suppliers understand the importance of e-commerce, but they're looking for support with running digital marketing, analyzing data, and packaging the results for their wholesalers, sales teams, and investors. That's why we're now offering a one-stop-shop solution as well as step-by-step guidance for leveraging online success to benefit offline business."