MAFFEO DRINKS: The Bottom-up Reality

099 | Luke Hemsley | Targeting Midweek Drinking Occasions With Wednesday's Domaine's Alcohol-Free Wine


Listen Later

Episode Deep-Dive Analysis Available at maffeodrinks.com 


In this Episode, Host Chris Maffeo talks to Luke Hemsley, founder of Wednesday's Domaine, who discusses how his alcohol-free wine brand addresses the twin challenges of awareness and appreciation in an emerging category.

Unlike beer and spirits, which have made significant inroads in the alcohol-free space, wine has lagged due to historical quality issues and consumer skepticism.

Rather than positioning against alcohol, Wednesday's Domaine focuses on creating a midweek wine alternative for food and drink lovers who might occasionally want the ritual of wine without its effects. Luke shares insights on their strategic focus on the off-trade (particularly independent retailers), creating a geographic concentration in specific neighborhoods, and making their product stand out on shelves without sacrificing sophistication.

The conversation explores how on-trade and off-trade create a circular relationship that builds category credibility, the pricing psychology of alcohol-free alternatives, and the founder's journey of knowing when to delegate versus when personal passion is irreplaceable.

Timestamps:

  • 00:00 Introduction and welcome

  • 01:25 Initial connections and origin story

  • 03:10 Awareness and appreciation challenges

  • 07:40 Positioning as midweek alternative

  • 11:05 Consumers' relationship with alcohol-free options

  • 15:30 Psychology of non-alcoholic choices

  • 20:45 On-trade vs. off-trade strategy

  • 26:20 Pricing and value perception

  • 30:10 Independent retail and geographic focus

  • 35:05 Product visibility challenges

  • 38:40 Founder's journey and scaling

  • 42:30 Final thoughts and contact information



  • Interested in Presentations, Workshops, or Advisory? You can get in touch at [email protected] or find out more at maffeodrinks.com 

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    MAFFEO DRINKS: The Bottom-up RealityBy Chris Maffeo

    • 5
    • 5
    • 5
    • 5
    • 5

    5

    4 ratings


    More shows like MAFFEO DRINKS: The Bottom-up Reality

    View all
    Bartender at Large by Bartender at Large Network

    Bartender at Large

    184 Listeners

    The Daily by The New York Times

    The Daily

    112,572 Listeners

    VinePair Podcast by VinePair

    VinePair Podcast

    301 Listeners

    The Big Picture by The Ringer

    The Big Picture

    5,645 Listeners

    Today in Focus by The Guardian

    Today in Focus

    991 Listeners

    Park Street Insider Podcast by Park Street Companies

    Park Street Insider Podcast

    17 Listeners

    The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

    The Rest Is History

    15,172 Listeners

    The Rest Is Politics: Leading by Goalhanger

    The Rest Is Politics: Leading

    810 Listeners