Altamura Distilleries Appoints Kevin Schmudde to Head US Operations

Altamura Distilleries has appointed Kevin Schmudde as "Head of USA" to strengthen its commercial structure in the US. This new position consolidates the brand's distributor relationships, retail and horeca channel growth, and national sales organization under a single management umbrella.

According to a report by Drinks International dated August 20, 2026, Schmudde will be responsible for developing the long-term US commercial strategy, enhancing distributor and retail relationships, and expanding the brand into new states. He is also expected to build a sales team that will support national-scale growth.

Over 20 Years of Beverage Industry Experience

Kevin Schmudde's career spans various sectors of the alcoholic beverage industry.

According to information reported by The Whiskey Wash, Schmudde has held senior positions at Constellation Brands, Palm Bay International, and Brown-Forman. He served as CEO at Kindred Beer and has worked on the commercial growth and sales structures of premium beverage brands throughout his career.

Older records from Schmudde's time at Palm Bay also support this commercial background. For instance, he is listed as the national sales connection for Palm Bay International in a distribution announcement from 2011. In 2020, he was seen working on tequila and mezcal portfolios as the national sales director at Global Beverage Team.

This background explains why the new role is structured not only around brand communication but also with a direct focus on sales and distribution.

The Main Issue in the US is the Distributor Network

Scaling premium beverage brands in the US requires a more complex structure than many markets.

The brand's own distributor page shows that Altamura works with various distributors in different markets, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Washington D.C.

This structure requires coordination of various state-based commercial partnerships rather than a single national distributor relationship.

One of the key operational issues hindering growth for beverage brands in the US emerges here: creating brand awareness is not the same process as making the product accessible in the right state, with the right distributor, and through the right horeca-retail channel.

A brand can generate demand among consumers; however, if the stock, distribution, or field sales organization is not strong enough, this demand may not translate into sales.

The Brand is Also Investing in the Horeca Channel in the US

In Altamura's US strategy, the restaurant and bar channel is prominently featured.

The company's own website lists various bars and restaurants in New York where the product is available. Additionally, it appears that a tasting program covering different states was organized at Total Wine & More stores in the summer of 2026. Since this information comes from company sources, it should be considered as examples of current distribution and activation strategies rather than independent indicators of commercial success.

In the horeca sector, the success of premium beverage brands is not measured solely by the product entering the menu.

Bartender training, product availability, distributor service level, pricing, usage in cocktail recipes, and reorder rates are among the factors that determine the brand's true commercial performance.

Therefore, it is noteworthy that Schmudde's job description includes not only distributor relationships but also the establishment of a local sales team.

200% Growth Claim is Company Data

The Whiskey Wash reports, based on company sources, that Altamura Distilleries has reached distribution in over 27 countries and 26 US states, with annual growth exceeding 200%.

These figures should not be presented as independently audited financial data.

Since the company is privately owned, detailed public sales data is limited. Therefore, the statement of 200% growth should be evaluated within the framework of the brand's own commercial declaration.

From a StaffMag perspective, a more meaningful indicator will be whether this expansion translates into sustainable distributor coverage, horeca sales, and reorders.

Why is the Field Team Critical for Premium Brands?

When a beverage brand enters a new market, initially making a distributor agreement may seem sufficient.

However, distributors may have hundreds or thousands of products in their portfolios. If the brand's field team is not strong, the product may not be sufficiently visible in bars, restaurants, or retail, even if it is on the distributor's list.

Therefore, the national sales team's role is not only to open new accounts but also to work with distributor sales teams, support horeca accounts, conduct bartender and service training, and track in which usage scenarios the product finds commercial success.

Especially in the premium segment, the product story alone is not enough. The story must be conveyed correctly by the staff, and the product must fit the sales structure of the business.

There are Similar Lessons for Producers in Turkey

Altamura's approach in the US can also be read for Turkey-based beverage producers aiming for export.

Entering a new market is often defined as "finding a distributor." However, the distributor agreement is just the beginning of the process.

Which cities and channels the brand will grow in, how the field team will be supported, what training will be provided to horeca accounts, whether the pricing chain is sustainable, and how much resource the distributor allocates to the brand are all parts of the same plan.

Especially for niche or premium products, it may be a healthier model to create reorder and brand loyalty in a few strong markets rather than spreading early across a wide geography.

Stafflink's View

In our opinion, the noteworthy aspect of Kevin Schmudde's appointment in terms of the beverage industry is not the title itself, but how the brand is addressing its growth in the US through distributor relationships and field sales organization.

In premium beverage brands, market entry and market sustainability are different. Getting the product into a few key bars or listed with certain retailers can provide initial visibility; however, sustainable growth requires regular orders, the right stock level, and a sales team working in the field.

In the horeca channel, especially bartender and service teams are part of the brand's sales process. Without staff support that can convey the product's story, usage, and price-value balance, premium positioning may remain only at the packaging and communication level.

Therefore, Altamura's real performance in the US should be measured not by how many states it has reached, but by how effectively it has converted this distribution network into active sales and reorders.