Mandate:

As employee #1, build a team and transform significant Red Mountain AVA grape holdings into a scalable beverage business with U.S. relevance. At the time, the company had vineyard assets, two small brands, and a sizeable RTD brand sold only in Canada.

Strategy & Buildout:

• Designed and formalized three distinct business tiers:
   
  1. Bulk grape sales
   
  2. Bulk wine production
   
  3. A premium, multi-brand portfolio
 
• Created ~10 wine brands from scratch, all earning 90+ point scores
• Built U.S. route-to-market infrastructure and secured Tier One wholesaler partnerships across 46 states
• Drove national chain authorizations including Whole Foods, HEB, Safeway, BevMax, Market Street, and Costco
• Ideated and launched an RTD brand
• Developed a flavored whiskey that achieved a 100-point rating
• Earned additional recognition including “Best Luxury Wine Packaging”

Results:

• Converted vineyard assets into diversified revenue streams
• Established national U.S. distribution footprint
• Built a premium portfolio recognized for both quality and design

Impact:

‍Transformed a vineyard holding company into a structured, multi-channel beverage platform with national distribution, award-winning products, and scalable operating infrastructure.

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