Reports that the largest alcohol companies are sitting on $22 billion in inventory should make every independent and mid-size Maker and distributor pause. Not because it’s your inventory,but because it’s clogging everyone else’s shelves.
When distributor warehouses are full, the system doesn’t slow down evenly. It squeezes from the edges inward. And independent Makers feel it first.
Big Inventory = Small Makers Get Crowded Out
Excess inventory changes distributor behavior, fast:
- Sales teams are incentivized to move what’s already sitting in the warehouse, not discover what’s new
- Portfolio rationalization accelerates
- Support quietly turns into neglect because of other priorities
In these moments, size matters. Not quality. Not stories. Not scores.
If your brand isn’t already turning, you’re suddenly competing with pallets of product that has to move. Big distributors depend on those suppliers to keep the lights on.
So, even when buyers are asking for something new, the path from interest to purchase gets longer, slower, and less certain. Not because your brand isn’t good,but because the system is under stress.
Why This Is Also an Opening
Here’s what independent Makers can do: be nimble.
- Launch market by market and focus on real opportunities
- Align inventory tightly to real, proven demand
- Prove velocity
- Pivot routes to market quickly when something isn’t working
In a risk-off environment, precision beats presence every time.
What Smart Independent Makers Are Doing Right Now
- Owning buyer relationships instead of outsourcing them entirely
- Using digital tools and data to show real pull-through, not promises
- Choosing distribution models that don’t require betting the company on one warehouse
The Takeaway
$22 billion in inventory isn’t just a headline, it’s a warning. Makers that rely solely on traditional, scale-first distribution will feel this slowdown the hardest. Stay lean, be visible to buyers, and maintain control in go-to-markets. That’s how smaller Makers will stay in the game with much larger competitors.
When the traditional system is overloaded, Makers need a way to stay visible, stay in control, and stay connected to buyers.
LibDib gives independent and mid-size Makers:
- Access to licensed buyers actively ordering in 18 markets
- Data and transparency that show real demand, not just hope
- A way to move product because buyers want it; no gatekeepers
When the system finally unclogs, the winners won’t be the ones who shipped the most. They’ll be the ones who knew exactly where,and why, they shipped at all.