Excise Drawback
Case Study: Drawback Program Planning & Execution
We are honored to have our efforts implementing Drawback with an international spirits corporation documented in a Case Study by Catena Solutions. Their highlight is as follows:
Drawback Program Planning & Execution
2 minute read
The Client
International premium spirits company
The Challenge
The client identified a significant opportunity to improve margins by reclaiming millions of
Key challenges included:
- The novelty of the initiative and the scale of the organization, which demanded cross-functional alignment.
- Difficulty securing executive-level buy-in, requiring a compelling strategic narrative to generate understanding and enthusiasm.
- Resistance from employees who were asked to work beyond the scope of their roles.
- New geopolitical realities and constantly evolving trade negotiations made increasing margins more critical than ever.
The Solution
An Innovation Strategist with more than 15 years of experience leading cross-functional initiatives in the alcoholic beverages sector, including supply chain, tariff & financial management.
The consultant’s approach centered on:
- Building a clear project management framework to recover excise taxes by reducing tariff exposure and aligning supply chain operations with Drawback requirements.
- Implementing a tailored innovation stage-gate process to prioritize initiatives and create a clear execution path.
- Streamlining the product portfolio to align with supply chain requirements for tariff recovery.
- Equipping leadership with targeted communication materials and talking points to build stakeholder support and overcome internal resistance.
The consultant’s experience as a spirits industry startup founder provided a holistic perspective and the ability to lead cross-functionally. Their track record in creating innovative solutions, including spearheading the first direct-to-consumer alcohol initiatives, enabled them to apply operational, regulatory, and tariff expertise creatively, which quickly connected siloed functions and reinvigorated a stalled initiative.
The Benefit
- Positioned the company for potential tariff savings of up to $100 million annually
- Brought fresh perspective and momentum to a critical opportunity
- Realigned the project with executive priorities
- Overcame organizational resistance and clarified priorities
- Shifted the company’s strategic lens from a brand-by-brand to a category-level approach, accelerating adoption across broader product lines
