Disruption

Lawmakers, regulators step in as Hard Mtn Dew disrupts alcohol distribution

Liquor control agencies in at least three states have either denied, or signaled they intend to deny, licenses to its primary distributor.
Cases of Hard Mtn Dew are displayed next to Dr Pepper and chips in a store display in Roanoke, Va., on Feb. 3, 2023. (Photo Courtesy Virginia Beer Wholesalers Association)

The arrival on store shelves of Hard Mtn Dew, an alcoholic version of the classic soft drink, is disrupting decades-old liquor distribution models and prompting pushback from regulators and lawmakers in a handful of states.

Liquor control agencies in at least three states have either denied, or signaled they intend to deny, licenses to Hard Mtn Dew’s primary distributor. Legislators in two states have passed peremptory laws.

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