Lawson Whiting on trade dispute
From Brown Forman Corporation BF B Q2 2026 Earnings Call · · Fyfull
“Two headwinds that are somewhat unique to Brown–Forman: used barrel sales and the trade dispute between the US and Canada are substantial headwinds for us this fiscal year and they significantly impacted our first half organic net sales results.”
On , Lawson Whiting, Chief Executive Officer, President & Director at Brown–Forman, spoke about trade dispute during Brown Forman Corporation BF B Q2 2026 Earnings Call on Fyfull.
About Lawson Whiting
Lawson Whiting, President and CEO of Brown‑Forman, stated on the company’s Q2 fiscal 2026 earnings call that used barrel sales and the U.S.–Canada trade dispute were substantial headwinds in the first half of the fiscal year. He noted that organic net sales for used barrels declined more than 60%, which he attributed to pressure on demand and pricing from the current operating environment for scotch and Irish whiskey suppliers. Whiting also said that cyclical pressures from macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties continued to negatively affect consumer confidence and discretionary spending in the U.S. and many developed international markets. In earlier remarks, Whiting described the U.S. and developed Europe as “very subdued” markets, while saying growth was coming from emerging markets. He characterized the debate over whether the slowdown in North American spirits consumption is structural or cyclical, citing cannabis, Gen Z, and GLP‑1 drugs as possible structural factors, and inflation and cost‑of‑living pressures as cyclical ones. Whiting also said that the removal of American alcohol products from Canadian shelves was “worse than a tariff” because it prevents consumers from buying the product, and that the company was working toward “reciprocal zero for zero tariffs across the spirits industry.”