OAKLAND, Calif., Feb. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Abstinence Spirits announced that it has brought on a new board member, Richard Rushton, and Strategic Advisor, Gary Leibowitz.
Richard Rushton has extensive experience as a brand and business leader with SABMiller plc (previously the world's largest brewer) across the Americas, Africa and Asia. Rushton was subsequently the CEO of Distell from 2013 until 2023, strengthening its leading spirits and RTD portfolio and expanding the business across Africa until acquisition by Heineken NV last year.
Gary Leibowitz has extensive leadership experience with industry leaders and dynamic VC-backed disruptors, primarily in alcoholic beverages and across the food, personal care and wellness sectors.
For over a decade, Leibowitz co-architected and built SABMiller/MillerCoors, a $100 billion alcoholic beverage group in the US and globally, including both industry-leading beer brands and a portfolio of small, dynamic craft players.
As Senior Advisor to McKinsey & Company's consumer practice and as an independent advisor, Leibowitz has supported a wide range of alcoholic and non-alc brand-building plans and portfolio strategy, revenue management and supply chain programs. He has served Heineken, Diageo, Fever-Tree, Liquid I.V., Loverboy and others, aligning management, distributors and investors to drive focus, energy and consistency in commercial execution.
Leibowitz also recently served as Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at Unilever, designing and guiding major category strategy resets, growth investments and the company's comprehensive enterprise transformation in 2022.
Ranwei Chiang, Abstinence Spirits USA CEO commented, "We are thrilled to have so much experience and thought leadership from Richard and Gary on the team. Their enthusiasm and support as we grow our brand will be instrumental in our journey. I look forward to working with both of them."
About Abstinence Spirits
Abstinence Spirits is a line of premium distilled non-alcoholic spirits and aperitifs featuring botanicals from South Africa. The award-winning products are small batch distilled through a hydro-distillation process.
The product line consists of four non-alcoholic spirits, two bittersweet aperitifs, and two spritzes. The expressions were created with a focus on using high quality ingredients, creating sophisticated and great tasting products that you will crave. They are great additions to your bar cart, mixing well in both non- and low- alcohol cocktails. All products are available direct to consumers through www.abstinencespirits.com and Amazon.
Abstinence Spirits will be at ExpoWest March 12-15, at booth 7300.
SOURCE Abstinence Spirits