CONSTELLATION: IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME

Constellation Chief Richard Sands told listeners at the Goldman Sachs Consumer Products Symposium that he would rather build the company’s own premium spirits brands instead of acquiring expensive brands with an established name. “In this case we are saying if you cannot buy them, then build them," Sands said. "It is a better idea to buy evolving brands or build premium brands." This goes along with recent trends among American consumers trading up to premium, more expensive brands in place of their cheaper counterparts.