Author: Sarah Oslund

Brandon Scott named Regional President – Central

Johnson Brothers has announced Brandon Scott as the new President of the Central Region. He will be responsible for executing the company’s commercial strategy across North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Indiana.

“We’re excited to have Brandon join our team,” said George Marsden, Johnson Brothers Chief Commercial Officer. “His years of supplier and distributor leadership will play an important role in the future of Johnson Brother’s commercial organization.”

Scott entered the wine and spirits industry in 2001 as a Sales Consultant for Premier Beverage Company in Miami, Florida before joining Windham Distributing Company in Wilmington, North Carolina as a Field Sales Manager. Following his time with Windham, Scott went on to additional supplier and distributor leadership roles in Arkansas and Maryland before relocating to Illinois with Breakthru Beverage where he led a 144-person team, covering three sales divisions and representing their entire supplier portfolio, including Diageo, Bacardi, Brown Forman, and Jackson Family Estates, amongst others.

Most recently, Scott served as Managing Director at the E&J Gallo Winery for the Midwest, where he was responsible for sales execution in the on-premise and retail channels.

“I’m excited to join an amazing family company with great heritage and a clear plan for growth,” said Scott. “I look forward to working with our team members to continue to build upon the existing high-performance culture and ensure we have the right path to market in every state to best service our customers.”

Dwayne Kratt named Johnson Brothers Vice President of External Affairs

Johnson Brothers has announced the addition of Dwayne Kratt as the new Vice President of External Affairs. He will be responsible for government affairs and legislative policy and will work closely with the Johnson Family and the Executive Team, reporting to President & CEO Mark Hubler.

“Dwayne’s experience and existing relationships will be an asset as external affairs continues to be of increasing importance to the alcohol beverage industry,” said Hubler. “We are excited to have him join the team.”

Kratt’s career spans two decades of government affairs and corporate communications. He joins Johnson Brothers from Diageo, where he served as the state government affairs representative for a region that spanned from Maryland to Maine and included South Carolina.

Before joining Diageo in 2008, he worked for Miller Brewing, where his responsibilities included issues management, regulatory and government affairs, and industry communications. He also served as co-chair of the Miller Brewing Company Employee Fund.

Prior to Miller Brewing Company, Kratt worked in the New Jersey legislature, in campaign management, and in the U.S. Congress.

“I am very excited about this opportunity to work at Johnson Brothers, continuing my craft as an alcohol beverage government affairs professional,” Kratt said. “I am even more excited about working at a growing family run company. I look forward to contributing to that growth through our efforts in the public policy arena.”

Kratt graduated from Albion College majoring in both political science and history. He lives in Lodi, Wisconsin with his wife, Stacy, and daughter, Azrael.

Johnson Brothers Expands Partnership with Delicato Family Wines

Johnson Brothers has signed a new agreement with Delicato Family Wines to expand distribution beyond West Virginia and North Carolina to now include Minnesota, Iowa, and Hawaii, effective January 1, 2023.

“With our Delicato relationship expanding to five states, we are excited to broaden our supplier portfolio and partner with not just another family-owned company, but a top-five wine supplier,” said Michael Johnson, Chairman and Co-Owner of Johnson Brothers. “We look forward to the continued growth of this relationship and are committed to executing, activating, and building this portfolio in the marketplace.”

Delicato Family Wines, a fourth-generation family-owned company founded in 1924, is the fifth largest wine company in the U.S. by volume sales and is the U.S. category leader in premium 3L box wines with Bota Box, the original eco-friendly boxed wine. Delicato’s diverse portfolio includes leading popular, luxury, import, and agency brands, such as Coppola Diamond Collection, the U.S.’s #3 domestic super-premium wine brand, as well as Impact Hot Prospect Brands 1924 and Three Finger Jack, and Z. Alexander Brown Wines, the highly successful collaboration with musician Zac Brown.

“Our partnership with Johnson Brothers continues to evolve, and we are pleased to expand our footprint with them in three new markets – Minnesota, Iowa, and Hawaii,” said Delicato CEO Chris Indelicato. “We look forward to growing our portfolio with Johnson Brothers, allowing us to drive sales growth and profitability together.”

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About Johnson Brothers

Johnson Brothers is a leading wine, beer, and spirits distributor in the United States. As a third-generation family company, Johnson Brothers continues to be driven by the values established by its founder Lynn Johnson in 1953: work ethic, passion, innovation, teamwork, excellence, and integrity. By partnering with the best suppliers worldwide, Johnson Brothers delivers outstanding brands and services to customers across 21 states. To learn more about Johnson Brothers and its supplier partners, visit Johnsonbrothers.com, or connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.

About Delicato Family Wines
Delicato Family Wines is a fourth-generation, family-owned company founded in 1924, that is among the top five largest wine companies in the U.S. Delicato’s diversified portfolio of leading wine brands includes Bota Box, Coppola Diamond Collection, Noble Vines, Gnarly Head, Z. Alexander Brown, Coppola Director’s Cut, Black Stallion, Three Finger Jack, Sofia, 1924, and Schmitt Söhne Family Wines (Germany). Transcendent Wines, Delicato’s fine wine sales and marketing portfolio, includes such luxury brands as Black Stallion Limited Release, and Diora in addition to imported luxury estate wines such as Stoneleigh (New Zealand) and Torbreck Vintners (Australia). For more information, visit www.delicato.com or contact Brent Dodd, Director of Corporate Communications at brent.dodd@delicato.com.