Competition – Judges – Sponsors – FAQ – Award Winners
In addition to written feedback from our judges and free entry into our Excellence in Packaging Awards, competition winners receive a number of additional benefits.
Placement Opportunity with Retail Partners
All Best of Class trophy winners will be given the chance to schedule meetings with senior sales executives from our retail partners Binny’s Beverage Depot, K&L Wine Merchants, and Total Wine & More to discuss goals and possible placement opportunities.
Binny’s Beverage Depot
Chicago family owned since 1948, Binny’s Beverage Depot is the Midwest’s largest wine, spirits and beer superstore with 44 locations throughout Illinois. Binny’s has been a long time supporter of craft spirits championed by long time ADI judge and Binny’s Spirits Buyer Brett Pontoni.
K&L Wine Merchants
Since 1976 K&L Wine Merchants offers the world’s finest wines and spirits, with great service and competitive prices. K&L operates three retail stores, in San Francisco, Redwood City, and Hollywood, California, and offers direct to consumer shipping throughout the state.
Total Wine & More
Total Wine & More is the nation’s leading retailer of wine, spirits and beer. Since 1991 Total Wine & More has grown from one location in Delaware to 214 superstores across 26 states.
Placement & Promotion Opportunity with E-commerce Partner
Gold medal winners will receive special pricing from TIPXY off their standard service fees and additional digital marketing support.
TIPXY
Tipxy is an online spirit & wine retailer that was launched out of a love for craft beverages and ships to 46 states throughout the US. Tipxy has helped hundreds of craft brands with their sales and marketing through its own website as well as custom DtC solutions.
Consultation with Import Partners
All International Best of Class trophy winners can meet with representatives from our import partners Preiss Imports, MHW and Aiko Importers for a free consultation to discuss goals and possible import services.
Preiss Imports
Preiss Imports is a third-generation company specializing in the importing and marketing of international spirits, wines, and culinary specialties, and is dedicated to developing a portfolio that embodies the fusion of spirits, wine, and culinary arts.
MHW Ltd.
Since 1995, MHW has been dedicated to delivering service excellence in the global beverage alcohol industry, helping thousands of international brands enter and excel in new markets around the world.
Aiko Importers
Aiko Importers, Inc. is a nationally recognized importer of alcoholic beverages to the US market. Our portfolio represents the broad variety of products that can satisfy the most exquisite taste. Our distribution network consists of 127 partner-companies located in 46 US states.
Promotion
Our list of the winners is shared with hundreds of media contacts including Forbes.com and the over 13,000 subscribers of our e-newsletter. Double Gold and Gold medal winners get shared through ADI’s social media channels during OND. Additionally, Best of Class trophies are presented in person at our awards luncheon during ADI’s annual Craft Spirits Conference and Vendor Expo.
Awards & Certificates
ADI provides physical awards, digital images and certificates for each winning spirit. There are no additional licensing fees or costs for for any of these materials. ADI does not sell bottle stickers however, winners have a free license to use the provided digital images to make their own stickers.
Excellence in Packaging Awards
All competition entries are automatically entered into ADI’s Excellence in Packaging Awards with no additional fees, bottles, or paperwork.
- Best Backbar Packaging: A best of category award to one Gold Medal bottle that the packaging panel believed pops and does the best job of standing out from the crowd of other bottles on a backbar.
- Best Retail Packaging: A best of category award to one Gold Medal bottle that has a label and bottle design that most invites a customer to pick up the bottle off the shelf from all the others.
- Brand Identity Medals: Award to a spirit company that in addition to superior execution in individual spirits packaging, has a harmony of design across multiple products that also distinguishes individual spirits within the lineup.
- Packaging Medals: Award for spirit packaging that has shows overall originality, creativity, graphic design, integration of bottle design to label style, aesthetic appeal, and handleability.
