Chris Swonger, Distilled Spirits Council CEO, joins Madison Mills on Asking for a Trend to break down how the ongoing port strike is affecting the liquor industry.

“Seventy-seven percent of US distilled spirits exports go out the 26 ports being impacted and 43% of imports coming into the country,” Swonger reports, saying, “Even a day’s strike is going to have a ripple effect in the supply chain… Now we’re at the end of day three [and] that impact is only going to get more significant as we go on.”

“Suppliers and those that make the great distilled spirits products are now looking at alternative means of shipping. Airfreight, obviously, is terrific, but it's more expensive… If this strike continues, it will, almost without a doubt, have a direct impact on consumers being able to buy their favorite distilled spirits brands as gifts.”

Swonger says “There's strong interest in all parties involved with this and we certainly recognize and appreciate those hard workers that get the products off the ships and on the trucks that go out to American citizens around the country. We just really hope this gets resolved sooner rather than later.”

For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Asking for a Trend.

This post was written by Naomi Buchanan.