The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast is a leading drinks business podcast delivering actionable insights for drinks leadership.
For founders, directors, distributor MDs, and hospitality leaders navigating the tension between bottom-up reality and top-down expectations.
20+ years building brands across 30+ markets. Each episode features drinks builders: founders, distributors, commercial directors, sharing how the drinks industry actually works. Not the conference version. Honest conversations.
Insights come from sitting at the bar.
Beyond episodes: advisory for leadership teams, subscription with episode deep dives and principles to navigate your own reality.
Beer, wine, spirits, Low and non-alcoholic.
Bottom-up Insights & Episode Deep Dives at https://maffeodrinks.com
All content for MAFFEO DRINKS: Brands Built Bottom-up is the property of Chris Maffeo and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast is a leading drinks business podcast delivering actionable insights for drinks leadership.
For founders, directors, distributor MDs, and hospitality leaders navigating the tension between bottom-up reality and top-down expectations.
20+ years building brands across 30+ markets. Each episode features drinks builders: founders, distributors, commercial directors, sharing how the drinks industry actually works. Not the conference version. Honest conversations.
Insights come from sitting at the bar.
Beyond episodes: advisory for leadership teams, subscription with episode deep dives and principles to navigate your own reality.
Beer, wine, spirits, Low and non-alcoholic.
Bottom-up Insights & Episode Deep Dives at https://maffeodrinks.com
099 | Luke Hemsley | Targeting Midweek Drinking Occasions With Wednesday's Domaine's Alcohol-Free Wine
MAFFEO DRINKS: Brands Built Bottom-up
43 minutes
7 months ago
099 | Luke Hemsley | Targeting Midweek Drinking Occasions With Wednesday's Domaine's Alcohol-Free Wine
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 welcome01:25 Initial connections and origin story03:10 Awareness and appreciation challenges07:40 Positioning as midweek alternative11:05 Consumers' relationship with alcohol-free options15:30 Psychology of non-alcoholic choices20:45 On-trade vs. off-trade strategy26:20 Pricing and value perception30:10 Independent retail and geographic focus35:05 Product visibility challenges38:40 Founder's journey and scaling42:30 Final thoughts and contact information
MAFFEO DRINKS: Brands Built Bottom-up
The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast is a leading drinks business podcast delivering actionable insights for drinks leadership.
For founders, directors, distributor MDs, and hospitality leaders navigating the tension between bottom-up reality and top-down expectations.
20+ years building brands across 30+ markets. Each episode features drinks builders: founders, distributors, commercial directors, sharing how the drinks industry actually works. Not the conference version. Honest conversations.
Insights come from sitting at the bar.
Beyond episodes: advisory for leadership teams, subscription with episode deep dives and principles to navigate your own reality.
Beer, wine, spirits, Low and non-alcoholic.
Bottom-up Insights & Episode Deep Dives at https://maffeodrinks.com
