Constellation Brands is the boozy behemoth behind blockbuster beers like Corona and Modelo, alongside wines from Robert Mondavi and spirits such as Svedka vodka, marketing and producing a global lineup of tipples that turn happy hours into high-flying profits from bases in the US, Mexico, and beyond. Starting as a modest wine wholesaler in upstate New York, it ballooned through savvy acquisitions into a Fortune 500 force that's now one of the top importers of alcohol stateside. Fascinating how a family-run outfit morphed into a multinational mixer, blending heritage with horsepower to dominate shelves worldwide.
Yet Constellation Brands once swirled wokeness into every sip like a trendy cocktail garnish, boasting DEI awards that celebrated rainbow events and Hispanic pipelines, ESG reports greener than envy with social equity splashes, and BLM pledges that funneled funds to racial justice faster than a happy hour rush, all before a recent retreat amid activist backlash. They've dialed back the virtue-vortex, but their history of pride scores and minority investments lingers like a hangover, hilariously showing how even beer barons can chase agenda points until the tab comes due.
