Craft spirits specialist Samson & Surrey (S&S), Miami, announced a new national alignment with wholesale beverage distributor Breakthru Beverage Group, New York.

Formed last year, S&S develops relationships with high-potential craft brands and provides them with expertise and resources to help them grow into successful national and international players, the company says. The S&S portfolio of unique premium craft brands already includes FEW American Whiskies and Gin, Bluecoat Gin, Brenne French Single Malt and Widow Jane Bourbon and Rye.

In addition to the decades of international spirits industry experience that S&S founders Robert Furniss-Roe and Juan Rovira bring to their partners, through its agreement with Breakthru, S&S now will be able to offer to its brands Breakthru’s breadth of sales, marketing and route to market experience.

“Partnering with Breakthru will give our brands the best of both worlds — the passion, knowledge and attention needed for incubation combined with the infrastructure, support and capabilities required for growth and expansion,” S&S Chief Executive Officer Furniss-Roe said in a statement. “Throughout my career, I have deeply valued the importance of having a true long-term partnership with distributors who can truly add value across the board, and we are very much looking forward to a successful relationship with Breakthru.”

S&S Chief Operating Officer Rovira added: “In a rapidly changing spirits market landscape, we look for strategic partners able to skate to where the puck is going. Breakthru’s experience, innovation, investment and dedicated infrastructure to craft brands will be instrumental to thoughtfully grow our portfolio of brands while maintaining their one-of-a-kind profile.”

Greg Baird, Breakthru Beverage Group chief executive officer and president, said: “The emerging spirits marketplace is a growing priority for our company as the segment rapidly expands. While emerging spirits brands continue to gain mainstream attention, we believe they require focused representation. Breakthru has a comprehensive, aligned strategy across all our markets to incubate and foster the growth of these special brands, and we look forward to working closely with the team at Samson & Surrey to help their brands flourish.”