Johnson Brothers, a leading distributor of wine, beer, and spirits in the United States, today announced that Yale Johnson has been appointed to the role of President of Sales, effective immediately.
In his new position, Johnson will report directly to Mark Hubler, President & Chief Executive Officer of Johnson Brothers. He will lead all commercial activities, including developing strategic partnerships to drive long-term growth across the company’s 17-state footprint and overseeing the Supplier Performance and External Affairs teams. Johnson will also be responsible for guiding commercial operations, fostering key supplier relationships, and ensuring that sales objectives are achieved.
“We are thrilled to announce Yale Johnson as our new President of Sales,” said Hubler. “Yale’s leadership has been instrumental to our success over the years, and his deep understanding of our business, combined with his ability to cultivate strong relationships, makes him the ideal person to lead our commercial team. His passion for driving results and dedication to our company values will undoubtedly help us achieve new levels of success.”
As a third-generation member of the Johnson family, Yale has deep roots in the industry and has advanced through a series of key leadership roles. He began his career at Gallo before joining Johnson Brothers, where he has worked closely with teams nationwide to implement strategic initiatives and drive business growth. Most recently, he launched and led Oxford Street Merchants, Johnson Brothers’ luxury wine and spirits division, playing a pivotal role in expanding the company’s presence in the premium segment.
“I’m honored to step into this role and continue the legacy that my grandfather, Lynn Johnson, started over 70 years ago,” said Johnson. “Johnson Brothers has always been driven by a commitment to excellence, innovation, and unparalleled execution. I look forward to working with our talented teams to continue delivering exceptional value to our customers and supplier partners.”
Johnson Brothers, family-owned and operated since 1953, proudly announces the latest milestone in its ongoing partnership with Copper Cane Wines & Spirits: expansion in Rhode Island. This marks another significant step in the successful collaboration that began in 2014. Rhode Island will join the company’s established collaborations in Minnesota, Hawaii, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and West Virginia.
Across the decade of partnership with Copper Cane, Johnson Brothers has seen remarkable success across all markets. The collaboration has not only strengthened the presence of Copper Cane’s distinctive and innovative wines but has also significantly enhanced Johnson Brothers’ portfolio, driving growth and customer satisfaction across multiple states.
“We are delighted to expand our partnership with Johnson Brothers into the Rhode Island market,” states Joe Wagner, owner and winemaker of Copper Cane Wines & Spirits. “Our collaboration has already flourished in several states, and we are excited to bring our innovative and high-quality wines to more New England consumers. Both of our family-owned businesses are committed to excellence, integrity, and providing exceptional experiences to our customers. We look forward to continuing our shared journey of growth and success in Rhode Island.”
One of the fastest-growing luxury wine suppliers in the industry, the expanded Copper Cane portfolio will be managed by Oxford Street Merchants, Johnson Brothers’ luxury organization.
“The Copper Cane Wines & Spirits portfolio includes some of the most dynamic and rapidly growing brands in the luxury wine space,” said Yale Johnson, Vice President of Johnson Brothers, who leads Oxford Street Merchants. “We are thrilled to extend this already successful partnership into the Rhode Island market. Our unwavering commitment to executional excellence, combined with Copper Cane’s innovative approach, ensures that we will achieve outstanding results and continue to provide exceptional experiences to our customers.”
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About Johnson Brothers
Johnson Brothers is a multi-generational family-owned wine, beer, and spirits distributor in the United States. Founded by Lynn Johnson in 1953, the company remains committed to its founding values of work ethic, passion, innovation, teamwork, excellence, and integrity. Through forging strong partnerships with top-tier suppliers globally, Johnson Brothers offers an exceptional portfolio of world-class brands to customer partners across 17 states. With a dedicated team of 4,000, Johnson Brothers remains committed to delivering excellence and continued growth across its operations. For the second consecutive year, Johnson Brothers has been honored as one of the Most Trustworthy Companies in America by Newsweek. For more information, please visit johnsonbrothers.com or LinkedIn and Instagram.
About Oxford Street Merchants
Oxford Street Merchants is an organization of Johnson Brothers, a leading wine, beer, and spirits distributor in the United States, focused on luxury spirits and estate wines. Its dedicated, knowledgeable, and accredited team members bring a passion for brand stewardship and storytelling, ensuring each encounter leaves the customer with an unparalleled luxury experience. Committed to executional excellence and standards of performance, Oxford Street Merchants combines innovation and analytics to drive results. Its name pays homage to 43 Oxford Street, the Saint Paul, Minnesota building where Lynn Johnson founded the third-generation, family-run business. For more info, visit us at oxfordstmerchants.com | Instagram.
About Copper Cane Wines & Spirits
Founded in 2014 by Joseph Wagner, Copper Cane Wines & Spirits has redefined the modern winery with their unique approach to the winemaking process. When grapevine canes begin to lignify, or turn to winter hardy wood, they take on a copper hue. This color shift signals that the green character and harsh tannins have been purged from the vine (and therefore, the resulting wine). Only then are the grapes ready for harvest. For Copper Cane’s founder, Joseph Wagner, this patience is essential. While most growers pick their grapes as sugar content hits a certain mark, Wagner waits for physiological maturity to ensure consistency year to year. The result is a wine full of rich, ripe fruit flavors – a style Wagner and his family have always loved. Representative brands include Belle Glos, Böen, Elouan, Napa Valley Quilt, and Threadcount. For more information, visit www.CopperCane.com.
Johnson Brothers, a family-owned and operated business since 1953, is excited to announce the expansion of its partnership with Chinola into Hawaii, Iowa, Nebraska, and North Carolina, effective as of July 1. This expansion builds upon an existing relationship in Indiana. The Chinola portfolio will be managed by Johnson Brothers’ luxury division, Oxford Street Merchants.
Chinola produces natural liqueurs made from 100% fresh fruit and neutral cane spirit, offering a unique blend and proprietary formulation that delivers unparalleled taste and versatility. They can be enjoyed on their own or mixed with any base spirit to create top-quality cocktails.
“We are excited to expand our partnership with Johnson Brothers to bring Chinola to four new markets,” said Andrew Merinoff, CEO & Co-founder of Chinola. “Johnson Brothers’ commitment to unmatched customer service makes them the perfect partner to help us share our passion fruit and mango liqueurs with a wider audience. We look forward to a successful collaboration and the continued growth of our relationship.”
Inspired by the Dominican passion fruit, Chinola was crafted in 2014 through a collaboration between hospitality experts, spirit industry professionals, and a master blender. The success of the award-winning Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur has fueled the launch of their first innovation: Chinola Mango Liqueur. The latest addition to their portfolio continues their tradition of natural, low ABV liqueurs made from 100% fresh fruit with no artificial additives. Chinola is dedicated to authenticity and eco-friendly practices in the production of their liqueurs from farm to bottle.
“Chinola’s commitment to quality and innovation aligns perfectly with our mission to bring exceptional products to our customers,” said Yale Johnson, Vice President of Johnson Brothers, who leads Oxford Street Merchants. “Many of the best accounts in America are featuring Chinola as a key part of their cocktail program and we’re excited to further partner and introduce more consumers to the brand.”
Johnson Brothers announces the appointment of two industry veterans to lead its operations in Wisconsin and Indiana. Keith Gass has been named the new General Manager of Johnson Brothers of Wisconsin, while Mike Spring has been promoted to General Manager of Johnson Brothers of Indiana. Both Gass and Spring will play pivotal roles in advancing Johnson Brothers’ strategic initiatives and driving continued growth in their respective markets.
Keith Gass, General Manager, Johnson Brothers of Wisconsin
Keith Gass (pronounced goss) brings over 30 years of industry experience to his new role at Johnson Brothers. As General Manager, Gass will oversee all business activities across the state of Wisconsin. Gass’s extensive career includes progressive leadership roles across multiple regions of the country, delivering exceptional results.
Before joining Johnson Brothers, Gass served as a senior executive at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Nevada. During his tenure, he successfully established and led its rapidly growing beer division, transforming it into the single largest-selling division in the state. His outstanding leadership and industry acumen resulted in a promotion to oversee the state’s Off-Premise division for wine, spirits, and beer.
Gass’s career spans over two decades at Anheuser-Busch, where he held prominent roles across various states, including New York, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, and California. His extensive experience includes managing field sales, national accounts, category management, and sales strategy, as well as directing wholesale operations. His diverse and accomplished background underscores his exceptional ability to drive growth and innovation in the beverage industry.
“We are thrilled to have Keith join our team and look forward to the expertise and leadership he will bring to our Wisconsin operations,” said Yale Johnson, Vice President of Johnson Brothers. “His extensive experience and proven track record in the industry make him a valuable addition to our organization.”
Mike Spring, General Manager, Johnson Brothers of Indiana
Mike Spring has been promoted to General Manager of Johnson Brothers of Indiana. Since joining the company in 2022 as the Retail Director, Spring has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership and business acumen. His recent promotion to General Sales Manager further highlights his outstanding contributions and ability to drive success within the organization.
Prior to his tenure at Johnson Brothers, Spring served as Business Development Manager for E&J Gallo Winery in Wisconsin, driving profitable revenue growth by identifying opportunities and reducing costs. His career includes ten years at Breakthru Beverage of Illinois, where he progressed from Sales Consultant to District Manager to Sales Manager.
“Mike’s ability to build high-performance teams and drive growth have positioned him to lead our Indiana operations to new heights,” said George Marsden, Chief Commercial Officer, Johnson Brothers. “We are confident we will achieve success and continue to strengthen our presence in the region under his leadership.”
Johnson Brothers and The Duckhorn Portfolio announced today that they have entered into an expanded distribution agreement, effective August 1. This is the second phase of a comprehensive strategic evaluation of The Duckhorn Portfolio’s wholesale distribution network across the United States, with the goal of driving the profitable growth of sales through a substantial increase in focus and investment in the wholesale channel. Johnson Brothers will begin distribution of The Duckhorn Portfolio’s wines in their new territory later this summer.
“With the recent closing of our Sonoma-Cutrer acquisition, The Duckhorn Portfolio has grown in both scale and scope, and we are now the largest supplier of $15+ wines in the off-premise channel in the United States,” said Deirdre Mahlan, President & Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson of the Company. “Acquiring Sonoma-Cutrer provided an excellent opportunity to evaluate and optimize our distributor network across the United States to strengthen our ability to drive consistent profitable growth and increase shareholder value.”
Recognized as a premier pure-play producer of luxury wine in the United States, The Duckhorn Portfolio includes eleven acclaimed winery brands: Duckhorn Vineyards, Decoy, Sonoma-Cutrer, Kosta Browne, Goldeneye, Paraduxx, Calera, Migration, Postmark, Canvasback, and Greenwing. While the Company has worked with Johnson Brothers in Iowa and West Virginia, the Company’s distributor agreements and new alignment will expand the scope of their relationship. When the transition of territories is complete, the distribution of some or all of the Company’s winery brands will be handled by Johnson Brothers in Hawaii, Iowa, and West Virginia.
“During the process of evaluating our route to market strategy in the US, it became abundantly clear that Johnson Brothers has a highly motivated team and a proven track record of executing our goals,” said Pete Przybylinski, Executive Vice President, Chief Sales Officer of the Company. “We are excited to forge an even stronger relationship between our companies that will provide greater focus on our acclaimed portfolio of wineries while helping us to continue to outpace the market. Equally important, we believe that our enhanced relationship with Johnson Brothers will expand our reach and benefit our retail and consumer customers in Hawaii, Iowa, and West Virginia.”
Johnson Brothers proudly announces its recognition as one of the 2024 Most Trustworthy Companies in America, marking the second consecutive year of this prestigious accolade.
Newsweek, in collaboration with Statista, Inc., a leading provider of market and consumer data, evaluated the business practices and relationships of U.S.-based companies with revenues exceeding $500 million. Among the 50 winners in the food and beverage category, Johnson Brothers stands out as the sole beer, wine, and spirits distributor to be honored.
“This recognition underscores Johnson Brothers’ steadfast commitment to the values that have defined our culture since 1953,” stated Rita Seguin, Chief Human Resources Officer at Johnson Brothers. “Being acknowledged as one of America’s most trustworthy companies reaffirms our dedication to fostering trust with our team members, customers, and supplier partners.”
Click here to view the complete list of America’s Most Trustworthy Companies and learn more about this prestigious honor.
Johnson Brothers, family-owned and operated since 1953, is excited to announce the expansion of its partnership with Domain HWH through the introduction of The Mascot into four new markets: Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and West Virginia. These states will join existing partnerships in Minnesota and North Carolina.
The Mascot is a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon made with fruit sourced from multiple Harlan family-owned properties across Napa Valley, including Harlan Estate, BOND, and Promontory. It initially started as a small project shared among family, friends, and the winemaking team, and the first release was the 2008 vintage in 2013.
The wine’s label, which bears an engraving of a white English bull terrier, was inspired by two sources: the classic tale, The Bar Sinister, which tells the story of a white English bull terrier named Kid (a Harlan family favorite) and an image of a white English bull terrier named Prince that the Farmers Deposit National Bank of Pittsburgh commissioned to illustrate its stock certificates and checks.
“The Mascot began as an experimental project which was blended from our young vines and shared with close family and friends,” said Mollie Maisch, Director of The Mascot. “It was introduced by Will Harlan and inspired by his desire to create a wine we could share a bit more widely with folks who were curious about our unique hillside vineyards. With its approachable character, The Mascot continues to offer a friendly glimpse into the Harlan family Domain. We are excited to deepen our partnership with Johnson Brothers and to share our efforts with new friends across Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and West Virginia!”
Currently offering the 2019 vintage, The Mascot will be managed by Oxford Street Merchants, Johnson Brothers’ luxury organization.
“We are thrilled to expand our partnership with the Harlan family and now represent The Mascot across six states,” said Yale Johnson, Vice President of Johnson Brothers, who leads Oxford Street Merchants. “The Mascot has quickly established itself as an iconic brand in our industry, and we look forward to sharing this world-class wine with more consumers across the country.”
Artisan Beer Company is excited to announce that it has acquired the distribution rights to the BlackStack Brewing portfolio in the Minnesota market.
BlackStack Brewing is a prestigious St. Paul-based craft brewery founded in 2017 by the late Scott Johnson (no relation) and Shawne Murphy Johnson, their sons, Murphy Johnson and Cooper Johnson, and their daughter, Quinn Johnson.
BlackStack Brewing has gained notoriety for its hop-forward beers, including flagship “Local 755,” lagers, fruited sours, and more. In 2023, with the legalization of THC in Minnesota, the company introduced a new line of hemp-derived THC drinks called “BlackStack Real Trees,” which has quickly gained popularity, and is also part of the Artisan portfolio.
“This is a really special day for us,” said Shawne Murphy Johnson, owner of BlackStack. “When looking for a distribution partner for our products, Artisan was our clear first choice, and we are thrilled to be partnering with them to give more Minnesota consumers a chance to try BlackStack.”
BlackStack’s unique offerings and consistent quality have made them a long-time favorite among beer enthusiasts in Minnesota.
“Artisan Beer Company is proud to partner with another great St. Paul-based, family-owned company to expand our footprint and portfolio in the craft beer industry,” said Todd Johnson, Principal and Co-Owner of Artisan and Johnson Brothers. “We couldn’t be happier to add this extraordinary partner to our portfolio.”
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About Artisan Beer Company
Artisan Beer Company was founded in 2011 and is driven by the mission to provide top-class craft beer to the state of Minnesota. Committed to building strong relationships with independent breweries across the globe, Artisan is driven to curate an unrivaled portfolio. The team’s expertise has led to exclusive partnerships with local and regional breweries as well as importers, ensuring quality, every beer, every sip. Artisan Beer Company is proudly owned by Johnson Brothers Liquor Company. For more info, visit us at artisanbeercompany.com.
Johnson Brothers, family-owned and operated since 1953, is pleased to announce that it is expanding distribution of the award-winning Copper Cane Wines & Spirits portfolio into four new markets, Hawaii, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. These states join existing partnerships in Minnesota, Iowa, and West Virginia.
Established in 2014 by fifth-generation Napa Valley vintner Joe Wagner, Copper Cane has taken the wine industry by storm with its rich, innovative wines. Since then, the portfolio and reputations of both Copper Cane and Joe Wagner have only grown, with Joe establishing himself not just as a leading winemaker but also as a wine influencer on TikTok and his podcast, “Go with your palate.” Through these platforms, Joe shares his dynamic personality and content to engage a new generation with the world of wine and what that world can be.
“Copper Cane and Johnson Brothers have already successfully partnered in other markets, and we are very excited to broaden our relationship with them, bringing us to seven markets,” states Joe Wagner, owner and winemaker of Copper Cane Wines & Spirits. “We are both family-owned and operated businesses that share values of passion, integrity, teamwork, excellence, and the commitment of collaboration with our customers to ensure they and consumers can enjoy our excellent brands in their respective markets.”
One of the fastest-growing luxury wine suppliers in the industry, the expanded Copper Cane portfolio will be managed by Oxford Street Merchants, Johnson Brothers’ luxury organization.
“We are beyond excited to expand our successful partnership with Copper Cane to seven states,” said Yale Johnson, Vice President of Johnson Brothers, who leads Oxford Street Merchants. “The portfolio features some of the most dynamic and fastest growing brands in the luxury space today, and we are confident our relentless commitment to executional excellence will drive lasting results.”
