This holiday re-broadcast brings back one of our most downloaded episodes — and one of the clearest real-world playbooks for how a traditional winery can modernize its marketing without spending more money.

In this episode, Aly Wente, fifth-generation vintner and SVP of Marketing and Customer Experience at Wente Family Vineyards, breaks down how America’s oldest continuously operated family-owned winery (founded in 1883) successfully reoriented its marketing toward Millennials and Gen Z — while keeping its legacy consumers and staying true to its heritage.

The headline insight for winery leaders: Wente didn’t increase its marketing budget. It reallocated it — away from low-ROI tactics and toward channels, content, and messages that could be measured and optimized.

🔶 Stop marketing to the trade when you think you’re marketing to consumers Wente made a clean distinction between what distributors and gatekeepers need versus what actual buyers care about. For consumers, technical language like clones, appellations, and scores created friction — not confidence.

🔶 Three-second shelf ruleIf a message can’t be understood in three seconds at retail, it doesn’t belong on shelf or POS. Wente shifted from insider language to cues centered on flavor, lifestyle, and trust.

🔶 Reallocate, don’t inflate, the budgetWhen Aly arrived, roughly $500K a year was going into printed POS — much of it sitting unused in distributor warehouses. That spend was redirected into digital, where performance could be tracked and optimized in real time.

🔶 Authenticity beats polish Wente replaced stock photography with real people, real places, and real moments — family members, winemakers, vineyard teams, tasting room life.

🔶 Lifestyle is not fluff — it’s strategyWine was repositioned as part of everyday life: recipes, casual occasions, behind-the-scenes videos, and even imperfect, playful content. Engagement surged — including thousands of views on zero-budget Instagram Lives during COVID.

🔶 Consumer voices outperform criticsA simple paid ad using a real Vivino review delivered a ~10% purchase intent rate, compared to ~2% on typical awareness campaigns — a powerful signal that peer validation now drives trial.

🔶 The results were measurableIn just a few years, Wente flipped its consumer base. Today, roughly 60% of its buyers are ages 21–45, compared to a majority 55+ audience in 2020 — without abandoning its core brand identity.

This episode is essential listening for any traditional winery asking:How do we modernize our marketing, speak to new consumers, and prove ROI — without losing who we are?

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Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

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Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

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Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

Instagram @borkaline

SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening. Thank you!

This episode of Business of Drinks is supported by MHW, Ltd., a company that has quietly shaped the beverage alcohol industry for more than 30 years — often behind the scenes of brands that went on to become category leaders or major acquisitions.

MHW is a nationally licensed importer, distributor, and service provider with licenses across all 50 U.S. states and the EU. In this conversation, CEO Ryan O’Hara, EVP Scott Saul, and Senior Advisor (and former CRO) MaryAnn Pisani break down how MHW’s service-provider model helps brands navigate one of the most complex operating environments in consumer goods — without giving up control of their brand or strategy.

Key takeaways for drinks founders and operators:

🔶 Why the service-provider model matters more than everWith an estimated 75% fewer distributors than the early 2000s, consolidation has created a bottleneck that makes market access harder — even for proven brands. MHW was built to solve that structural problem, giving brands a compliant, scalable path to market while maintaining control.

🔶 Control vs. convenience in importingUnlike traditional importers, MHW doesn’t run sales or marketing. Instead, it handles compliance, logistics, fulfillment, accounting, and reporting — allowing founders to focus on brand, demand, and customer relationships without building costly infrastructure too early.

🔶 Compliance as a growth unlock, not a taxFrom helping establish categories like absinthe and cachaça to navigating FDA and TTB approvals for unconventional ingredients, MHW has repeatedly enabled innovation that otherwise wouldn’t reach market. Lesson: Getting compliance right early creates speed later.

🔶 Why MHW shows up in acquisition storiesBrands like Casamigos, Avión Tequila, Hypnotiq, and Blue Chair Bay Rum all relied on MHW during critical growth or transition phases. For acquirers, MHW’s platform allows brands to scale quickly — and decide later what to bring in-house.

🔶 What’s changed for foundersLiquid still has to get to lips — but data, digital engagement, and modern supply chains now allow brands to scale smarter. MHW’s newer offerings, including BrandArc, outsourced compliance services, and EU/UK market access, reflect how infrastructure itself has become a strategic lever.

The hidden lesson: Many of the most successful brands didn’t win by doing everything themselves — they won by knowing what to own, and what to outsource, at each stage of growth.

For the latest updates, follow us:

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Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

LinkedIn

Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

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Instagram @borkaline

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

Une Femme Wines didn’t scale the way most wine brands do — and that’s exactly why its story matters.

What began as the house wine at Jen Pelka’s two Champagne bars — The Riddler in San Francisco and New York — has scaled into a national brand selling more than 300,000 cases annually, with wines poured everywhere from Delta Airlines to Marriott, Kimpton, stadiums, cruise lines, and even space.

In this episode, Jen breaks down how Une Femme unlocked scale by saying yes to the right opportunities — and then rebuilding the business to support them.

The turning point came when a chance meeting led to a Delta Airlines trial that required Une Femme to ramp from 1,500 cases over two years to 6,000 cases in three months, a feat that seemed impossible at the time. But they persevered and that single partnership didn’t just change volume — it reshaped the company’s format strategy, pushing the brand into cans for sustainability, operational efficiency, and national reach.

From there, Une Femme scaled differently than most wine brands: Prioritizing national accounts and high-velocity venues over slow regional rollouts, and focusing relentlessly on freshness, tight SKUs, and operational reliability.

🔶 Format as a growth lever

Why canned wine — not bottles — became Une Femme’s primary scaling vehicle, and what founders need to understand about liners, pH, acidity, and freshness when launching cans.

🔶 Operational discipline at scale

How monthly canning runs, zero stock-outs, and a lean 10-person team support partnerships with Delta, Marriott, Levy, and Virgin Voyages.

🔶 SKU restraint

Why Une Femme has resisted SKU sprawl, phased out expensive formats, and focused on a core set of high-velocity products — while growing 70%+ YOY in a down wine market.

🔶 Channel strategy that actually works

How Jen evaluates where consumers are most open to drinking — planes, stadiums, hotels, museums — and why not every brand needs fine-dining placements.

🔶 Funding lessons to scale rapidly

How Une Femme raised roughly $16M across multiple tranches, built strong investor trust through monthly updates, and shifted focus from fundraising to sustainable profitability.

🔶 Mission with teeth

How Une Femme embedded its women-focused mission into sourcing, partnerships, and give-back — without letting purpose dilute operational rigor.

For founders navigating format innovation, national accounts, capital intensity, or the realities of scaling in a declining category, this episode is a case study in unlocking outsized growth.

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on Dec. 24.

For the latest updates, follow us:

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Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

LinkedIn

Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Instagram @borkaline

SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Thank you!

Modern soda isn’t a trend — it’s one of the fastest-growing segments in beverage. Now a $1.8B U.S. category, up 83% YOY, according to Circana, modern soda is redefining the carbonated space with functional benefits, low sugar, and health-forward positioning.

Two brands were instrumental in creating this market: OLIPOP and Poppi. Together, they introduced consumers to gut-health sodas long before the category had a name — and they helped transform what was once a stagnant soft drink landscape into one of the hottest growth stories in CPG.

Today, OLIPOP stands as the category’s largest independent player, following Poppi’s 2025 acquisition by PepsiCo for roughly $1.95B. OLIPOP is now sold in 50,000+ doors, staffed with 200+ employees, and approaching a $2B valuation. 

In this episode, OLIPOP Co-Founder, CEO and Formulator Ben Goodwin breaks down how OLIPOP carved out its own lane with a deeper scientific foundation and a product-first ethos that helped propel the entire modern soda movement.

🔶 Why modern soda emergedConsumers are shifting away from traditional soda toward gut-health rituals and low-calorie indulgence. OLIPOP meets those needs with 2–5g sugar, 6–9g fiber, and a proprietary microbiome-focused blend developed long before mainstream awareness caught up.

🔶 A scientific moat that drives real differentiationEvery OLIPOP formula goes through an in-vitro validation pipeline with academic partners, measuring fermentation, microbial shifts, and short-chain fatty acid production. The brand’s first human trial showed meaningful glucose stability versus full-sugar sodas — a cornerstone of its credibility.

🔶 Nostalgia as an acquisition strategyOLIPOP’s “modern nostalgia” flavors—root beer, grape, vintage cola—tap into emotional memory pathways, bringing lapsed soda drinkers back into the category with healthier versions of flavors they love.

🔶 Takeaways for all beverage founders• Why science is the ultimate competitive moat in beverage, creating defensibility that competitors can’t copy • How to tap into emotional relevance to unlock staying power• Why it’s essential to lead without ego, and how to do it so your organization can scale quickly

This is an essential listen for founders building in functional beverage, better-for-you categories, or the next wave of drinks.

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on Dec. 17.

For the latest updates, follow us:

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Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

LinkedIn

Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Instagram @borkaline

SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

Aplós is one of the quickest-growing craft brands in the non-alc space — a premium functional spirit designed not to mimic tequila or gin, but to redefine what a cocktail experience can be without alcohol. 

Founded in 2018 and launched in 2020, the brand is now breaking out: Approaching 100K case sales annually, their wholesale is up more than 500% YOY, and they’re ​​on pace to double their wholesale volume in 2026. In the last 12 months, Aplós has added 1,300+ chain retail doors, and on-premise placements have climbed to 750+ cocktails across 550 accounts. The company also just announced a $5 million funding round to grow production and expand its hospitality and retail footprint.

In this episode, David Fudge, Co-Founder & CEO of Aplós, shares how the company is scaling through long-game brand building, deep bartender collaboration, and disciplined distribution strategy.

🔶 A new category, not a proxy: Aplós started with two original functional NA spirits — Ease for relaxation and Arise for social energy — each with meaningful levels of Lion’s mane and magnesium. Then they built out NA RTDs based on familiar cocktail templates. 

🔶 Crafted with bartenders: Years of development with hundreds of bartenders (including mixology legend Lynette Marrero) ensured the spirits could perform like true leads in classic cocktails — neat, on the rocks, or mixed.

🔶 Brand-first architecture: David invested early in a timeless aesthetic and distinctive tone, building a brand world meant to feel established from Day One. That foundation now fuels premium pricing and cultural relevance.

🔶 Evolving from DTC to wholesale: Aplós began online to learn quickly, but its current breakout year comes from wholesale — and from learning that you cannot outsource your story. Even in non-alc, distributor management is table stakes.

🔶 On-premise momentum: From Michelin-starred programs to luxury hotels, Aplós is winning multiple menu placements per account. One Miami restaurant sells 10 cases/month of a single Aplós cocktail — a model the team now replicates in key markets.

🔶 Chain retail acceleration: Starting small with partners like Total Wine, Aplós refined velocity drivers — tastings, staff education, merchandising — before expanding nationally. Today, the brand sits in more than 1,300 chain doors and counting.

🔶 Founder lessons: David talks about intuition vs. testing, navigating functional compliance, building a craveable product, and why conviction matters in a category still finding its identity.

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on December 10.

Business of Drinks:

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Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

LinkedIn

Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Instagram @borkaline

SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening,

Thank you!

FRE is one of the most quietly powerful brands in American wine. Launched in 1992, it now holds 48% dollar share of the U.S. non-alcoholic wine market, sells ~439,000 cases a year, and is growing nearly 16% in volume YOY — all while the broader wine category softens.

In this episode, Brie Wohld, Vice President of Marketing at Trinchero Family Estates, breaks down how a 30-year-old NA brand is driving double-digit growth and helping keep wine culturally relevant for flexi-drinkers.

🔶 Legacy innovation: Why Trinchero invested early in spinning cone technology in 1992, spending more than $1M to build a quality-first NA wine more than two decades before “sober curious” entered the cultural vocabulary.

🔶 Strategic hedge: How FRE acts as both a business hedge against wine headwinds and a cultural hedge that keeps consumers walking the wine aisle and maintaining wine rituals — even on non-drinking days.

🔶 Portfolio architecture: How the team maps varietals and formats (sparkling, reds/whites, minis, new Pinot Grigio) to specific occasions without overwhelming shoppers.

🔶 Brand evolution for younger drinkers: Updating design, tone, and partnerships to speak to Millennial and Gen Z lifestyles, without alienating loyal Boomers.

🔶 Data-driven growth: Expanding to 28,000+ accounts, adding 4,000 new points of distribution YOY, leaning into grocery and mass, and using social (especially TikTok) to deliver real value — recipes, pairings, and city guides, not just bottle shots.

🔶 Moderation, not morality: Why 93% of NA buyers also purchase alcohol, and how FRE leads with a message of “choice over judgment” to support everything from Dry January to zebra striping.

If you’re building a legacy brand — or trying to future-proof one — this episode is a playbook on staying relevant, expanding occasions, and using non-alc as a growth engine rather than a threat.

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on December 3.

For the latest updates, follow us:

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Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

LinkedIn

Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Instagram @borkaline

SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

Rebranding a beloved, 29-year-old beverage is one of the riskiest moves a CEO can make. But in this episode, Ben Mand, CEO of Yerba Madre, walks us through how he pulled off what most leaders avoid: renaming and relaunching a legacy brand — with full community support — and reigniting growth in the process.

Under 4% of Americans even know what yerba mate is, yet Yerba Madre (formerly Guayakí) generates nearly $200 million in annual sales and dominates a fast-emerging category. When Ben took over in 2024, the business wasn’t growing, innovation had stalled, and profitability was strained. Within a year, he streamlined the supply chain, rebuilt the route to market, launched new innovation, and guided a high-stakes rebrand that consumers embraced — thanks to months of groundwork with the brand’s 10,000+ loyal ambassadors.

For drinks entrepreneurs, this episode breaks down the tactics, sequencing, and frameworks behind one of the most successful rebrands in beverage.

Top Takeaways for Drinks Entrepreneurs

🔶 How to rebrand without losing your base. 

Ben shares the playbook: deeply engage your most loyal consumers, treat the new name as an “empty vessel,” and build meaning through community participation. (It worked — consumers helped evangelize the launch.)

🔶 Why SKU breadth drives velocity. 

Yerba Madre sees the whole line lift once they hit 6–8 facings in a refrigerator case. Half their consumers drink 3–7 flavors, making variety a core velocity driver.

🔶 Packaging changes that actually matter. 

Navigation upgrades — like white lids for low-sugar SKUs — help shoppers instantly find the right product in-set.

🔶 How to scale responsibly. 

Yerba Madre is investing 8× more in regenerative agriculture and community partnerships this year — while improving profitability through supply-chain redesign.

This episode is a blueprint for modernizing a legacy brand, managing risk during a major transformation, and building a category that 96% of Americans have yet to discover.

If you’re thinking about evolving your brand, expanding nationally, or taking on a category dominated by billion-dollar incumbents — this conversation is packed with actionable insights.

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on Nov. 26.

For the latest updates, follow us:

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Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

LinkedIn

Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Instagram @borkaline

SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering a Q4 discount off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

In just four years, the premium alcohol-free wine French Bloom has become a global luxury brand — sold in 60+ countries, producing 500K bottles in 2024, and on track to double sales in 2025. It also became the first non-alcoholic brand backed by LVMH, signaling a new era for luxury drinks without alcohol.

Co-founder Maggie Frerejean-Taittinger, formerly of the Michelin Guide, shares how she turned a personal need into a brand — and made moderation aspirational.

🔶 From Need to Innovation 

While pregnant with twins, Maggie saw the gap for an alcohol-free wine that delivered the emotion and depth of Champagne. With her husband, a Champagne maker, and co-founder Constance Jablonski, she created a 0.0%, organic, sugar- and sulfite-free sparkling wine that could stand beside a grand cru.

🔶 Scaling Through Selectivity 

Launched at Le Bon Marché and Selfridges, French Bloom sold out in weeks. Growth came through luxury retail, Michelin-star restaurants, and five-star hotels — not mass channels. Today it partners with 500+ Michelin venues and global events like Coachella, Roland Garros, and Formula 1, where it’s the official non-alcoholic sparkling partner for the next decade.

🔶 The Growth Formula • Credibility through awards — “World’s Best NA Sparkling Wine” three years running. • Premium positioning — priced around 80% of house Champagne. • DTC strength — 20–25% of global sales online. • Core audience — “flexi-drinkers” (80% of customers still drink alcohol).

🔶 Founder LessonMaggie cites The Empathy Edge by Maria Ross: “Empathy isn’t soft — it’s a business advantage.”

Why Listen:This is a concise playbook in category creation and premiumization — how French Bloom built cultural relevance, scaled fast, and made moderation synonymous with modern luxury.

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on Nov. 19.

For the latest updates, follow us:

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Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

LinkedIn

Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Instagram @borkaline

SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

Madre Mezcal has become one of the fastest-growing brands in the agave spirits space — and it’s done it without the deep pockets of a corporate parent. Co-founder and CEO Chris Stephenson joins Business of Drinks to unpack how an indie brand captured 11% U.S. market share in a category dominated by global strategic-backed brands like Del Maguey, Ilegal, and 400 Conejos.

Before founding Madre, Stephenson spent nearly 30 years shaping culture at MTV, Xbox, and SFX Entertainment. That experience laid the foundation for a different kind of drinks company — one built from the ground up through community, creativity, and culture.

In this episode, Chris shares how Madre:

🔶 Launched culture-first: The team spent a full year building brand identity and community before selling a single bottle — earning 15,000 Instagram followers pre-launch.

🔶 Competes on authenticity, not ad spend: Madre’s “shoe-leather marketing” includes more than 300 in-person events a year (!!) and micro-influencer partnerships that drive organic credibility rather than paid reach.

🔶 Leads on retail velocity: Madre has been #1 in retail velocity in 42 of the past 45 months, proof that brand love and turnover at shelf drive long-term health.

🔶 Expanded strategically: With a focused lineup — premium Ensamble, bar-friendly Espadín, sessionable RTDs, and an additive-free tequila — Madre built a full-funnel agave portfolio designed to bring new drinkers into the category.

🔶 Scaled smart: Now on track to sell 35,000 nine-liter cases a year, Madre’s 140-member investor base and grassroots network have fueled steady growth from independents to chains like Safeway, Kroger, and Albertsons.

Whether you’re building a craft brand or managing a multinational portfolio, this episode delivers, revealing the Madre “secret formula” of patience, strong brand identity, and sales velocity.

Last Call:

The RTD boom isn’t over — but it’s evolving fast. In our latest Last Call, Erin McVickers of 3-Tier Beverages joins us to break down new data from their “Buzz or Bust” report, which tracks how consumers are shifting across malt-, wine-, and spirits-based RTDs. Tune in for the insights!

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on Nov. 12.

For the latest updates, follow us:

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Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

LinkedIn

Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

LinkedIn

Instagram @borkaline

SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

Lemon Perfect is one of the fastest-growing beverage brands in America — a zero-sugar, organic lemon water that’s redefining what “better-for-you” can mean. Since launch, the company has sold more than 150 million bottles, is pacing for $100 million in retail sales this year, and projects $160 million in 2026.

In this episode, Lemon Perfect Founder and Executive Chairman Yanni Hufnagel shares how he turned a simple ritual — morning lemon water — into a national phenomenon, and what it’s taken to scale in one of the most competitive categories in beverage. TL;DR it wasn’t easy! He talks about the moments that tested Lemon Perfect’s survival, the pivots that unlocked scale, and the mindset that turned a near-failure into a $100 million success story.

We discuss:

🔶 The near-collapse that forced a rebuild — and what “competitive stamina” really looks like when your co-packer walks away mid-production.

🔶 How a cold-chain product pivoted to shelf-stable — unlocking nationwide scale and multiplying revenue from $500K to $27M in three years.

🔶 Why velocity is the lifeblood of beverage growth — and how Lemon Perfect balances share gains and margin discipline.

🔶 How packaging drives impulse trial — and why “packaging isn’t brand,” according to Yanni’s biggest brand-building lesson.

🔶 The evolving role of influencers and celebrities — why Lemon Perfect is working with big names like Beyoncé, alongside a set of high-engagement creators.

🔶 The founder mindset required to survive — why Yanni believes perseverance and adaptability matter more than any strategy deck.

This conversation is a reality check for every drinks entrepreneur chasing scale. From early formulation to $100 million in sales, Yanni lays out a playbook built on execution, resilience, and an obsession with velocity — the unvarnished truth of what it takes to build a billion-dollar beverage brand.

Last Call:

Park Street’s 2025 midyear report tracks 80+ new product launches across spirits, wine, RTDs, and non-alc. The Business of Drinks team breaks down what’s driving innovation — from collector whiskies and celebrity RTDs to the rise of savory and NA spirits.

Link to the article: https://www.parkstreet.com/alcohol-beverages-products-brands-launched-in-2025-so-far/

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on Nov. 5.

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Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

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Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

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Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

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Instagram @borkaline

SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!