February isn’t just for Valentine’s Day cards, candy, and (of course) bubbly. It’s also Black History Month, when we recognize the contributions of Black Americans and celebrate their legacies as an integral part of our history and culture.
It’s no secret that the alcoholic beverage industry has work to do when it comes to diversity. The vast majority of brands you see in store or on menus skew heavily towards white, male producers and business owners. According to a 2020 wine industry study, “Black-owned wineries account for less than 1 percent of all U.S. wineries, while Black people typically make up more than 10 percent of American wine consumers.”
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t incredible Black producers, business owners, mixologists, and more bringing top-notch products and expertise to the market—all while working to combat conventional norms and move the industry towards greater inclusion and diversity. And despite being chronically underrepresented (and underestimated), Black-owned beverage brands have been growing and thriving, even amidst the unprecedented economic challenges of the last few years.
This growth shouldn’t be a surprise. Today’s consumers are more diverse than ever, both demographically and in their tastes. Offering authentic, versatile options reflective of the customers themselves is essential for any on or off-premise business to be successful not just with individual market segments, but their customer base overall.
Here are a few ways you can support Black-owned businesses during Black History Month and year-round:
- Educate yourself, your team, and your customers on the Black-owned brands. But don’t just stop at the names. Dig into the products, processes, and—most importantly—the stories behind the brands and their creators.
- Dedicate shelf or menu space to Black-owned brands.
- Intentionally and strategically market these brands (think featured cocktails, tailored wine lists, dedicated tastings, etc.).
- Interact with and highlight these brands on social media (liking, sharing, and posting go a long way).
With these ideas in mind, here are just a few Black-owned brands we recommend to get you started.
The McBride Sisters Wine Company
“When life gives you lemons, make wine.” --Robin and Andrea McBride
The story behind the US’s largest black-owned wine company is as captivating as its products. Founders and sisters Robin and Andrea McBride grew up on opposite sides of the Pacific, amongst the vines of two world-renowned wine-producing regions: Monterey, California, and Marlborough, New Zealand, respectively.
The sisters didn’t learn of each other until early adulthood; but once they found their way together and—unsurprisingly—bonded over a bottle of wine, the magic began. Combining their love for the lands of their youth with their shared passion for wine (and breaking barriers), they founded the McBride Sisters Wine Company in 2005 with the goal of transforming an industry dominated by gender and tradition. Today, in addition to offering an incredibly popular suite of California and New Zealand-grown wines, the McBride Sisters Wine Company is renowned as of one the most inclusive, sustainable, and socially responsible companies in the industry.
Hampton Water
Ali Thomas never envisioned himself as a winemaker. He spent his youth on the hockey rink, eventually becoming the first Black player to join the University of Notre Dame hockey team. The seed for Hampton Water was planted in Thomas’s senior year of college while was hanging out in the Hamptons with his roommate, Jesse Bongiovi and Bongiovi’s dad, rockstar Jon Bon Jovi. The young men jokingly referred to the rosé they were enjoying as “Hampton Water” since they only drank it while visiting the area. The joke struck a spark, and Thomas and Bongiovi gladly accepted the challenge of building the brand themselves. With the help of premier French winemaker Gerard Bertrand, they launched Hampton Water rosé in April 2017, selling out before it’s official release. The brand has continued to climb and grab accolades along the way, including four consecutive vintages with 90-Point ratings from Wine Spectator and placing in their Top 100 as the first rosé on the list in 25 years.
Sire Spirits: Branson Cognac & Le Chemin du Roi
“I named the company after my son Sire Jackson, who I hope will someday run the company. I always dreamed of having a family-owned business, but my family neither had the means nor the opportunity to create it.” - Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson
Curtis Jackson, also known as hip hop megastar “50 Cent,” founded Sire Spirits in 2017 with the goal of “delivering a flawless taste of quality in every bottle of Champagne and Cognac.” As the sole owner of the company, Jackson is extremely involved in the production of his spirits, meeting regularly with French suppliers to sample new blends, taking the lead in packaging design, and appearing in person at promotional/sponsorship events. But Jackson isn’t one to rely on his star power alone; he is committed to ensuring his products stand up to the scrutiny of top industry experts. All Branson Cognacs and Le Chemin du Roi Champagnes incorporate the highest quality grapes and exceed industry aging requirements.
Explore Le Chemin du Roi Champagnes
Teremana
When Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson decided to get in the spirits game, he knew he wanted to do it on his terms. Rather than align himself with an existing brand, Johnson chose to partner with a family-owned distillery in the Jalisco highlands of Mexico to create small batch, hand-crafted tequilas, “because quality, the people, the land and the legacy are what matter most.”
Teremana means “spirit of the earth,” and this mantra guides every step in the creation of the brand’s Blanco, Reposado, and Anejo tequilas. Teremana agave is roasted for three days in traditional brick ovens and distilled in copper stills hand-built onsite by a local artisan. To ensure sustainability, 100% of the leftover fibers are turned into organic compost for the agave fields. The end results are bright, smooth, clean tequilas imbued with the spirit of the lands from which they came.
Lobos 1707
Headed by a powerhouse leadership team that includes spirits industry icon Dia Simms, basketball legend LeBron James, and founder Diego Osorio, Lobos 1707 is a brand that embodies the union of individual strength with collective spirit. Their tequila and mezcal formulations date back almost five centuries when the Osorio family began distilling tequila and transporting it to their native Spain in sherry wine barrels. The practice continues today, as all Lobos Tequilas and Mezcals are finished in Pedro Ximenez Spanish wine barrels.
Brown Sugar Bourbon (BSB)
Debuting as an instant sensation in 2018, Brown Sugar Bourbon was purchased by Oscar-winning actor and musician Jamie Foxx in early 2021. Foxx first encountered BSB at one of his legendary parties, where he noticed guests coming back, again and again, asking for the bourbon.
“When I tasted it, I said, “this is the right flavor. You can drink it however you want. You can put it on ice, have it neat, shoot it, or mix it. BSB takes me back to my roots, and it’s all about that good feeling.” --Jamie Foxx
Distilled in the small Pacific Northwest town of Gig Harbor, WA, BSB is part of the small percentage of bourbons made outside the Kentucky/Tennessee corridor. This unique sipper blends brown sugar and cinnamon to create a smooth, slightly sweet concoction perfect for those looking for a fun, less intimidating way to enter the bourbon realm.
These are just a sampling of Black-owned brands available on Proof. Use the diverse-owned brands search filter to discover more products available in your market.
