Constellation Brands to Invest $100 million in Female-Led Booze Brands
*By Conor White*
A gender gap persists in most industries, but among the most glaring examples of the disparity can be found in beverage manufacturing ー a business in which men make up roughly 80 percent of executives.
In order to close that gap, Constellation Brands ($STZ) has announced it will invest in female-founded beverage companies, beginning with Austin Cocktails and Vivify Beverages.
"We're excited to invest $100 million over the next ten 10 years in disruptive and innovative business in our space," said Mallika Monteiro, Constellation's chief growth officer.
"Women are the fastest-growing set of entrepreneurs in the U.S. today," Monteiro told Cheddar in an interview Friday. "Yet 2 percent \[in 2017\] of investor funding went to female-led businesses."
Constellation is hoping to shift that number ー but Monteiro said the company's efforts will go beyond a simple infusion of capital.
"We're bringing them into our network of expertise," Monteiro said. "Whether that is the network of relationships we have with our distributor partners, with our supply chain partners, and logistical partners."
For Monteiro, the decision was ultimately an easy one.
"This is an opportunity for us to double down on our commitment of diversity and inclusion," she said.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/corona-maker-constellation-wants-women-to-disrupt-the-alcohol-industry).
The FAA prepares to select cities for its eVTOL pilot program, marking a major step toward electric air taxis and the future of urban air mobility in the U.S.
Rising oil prices tied to the Iran conflict are driving up gas and airfare costs, creating new challenges for travelers heading into the spring break season.
The Supreme Court strikes down Trump-era tariffs, limiting presidential trade powers and raising questions about refunds, global trade, and business impact.
New research from GoDaddy and UCLA shows small businesses signal shifts in GDP, jobs, and digital growth earlier than traditional data or Wall Street trends.
GoFundMe launches Back in Business Fund with Paris Hilton to provide targeted grants helping women entrepreneurs recover and rebuild after natural disasters.
Samsung launches its “AI in Action Lab” in NYC, giving public high school students hands-on AI experience and tools to prepare for real world innovations.
Gen Z workers are increasingly worried AI could replace their jobs. However, experts say companies are using AI more to assist workers than replace them.
Matt Schultz of CleanSpark discusses Bitcoin mining and AI infrastructure converge, energy demand dynamics, and the company’s position in the evolving market.
