Episode 57: Richard O'Brien (@giesenwines) Artwork

Creative Sobriety

Crushing the stigma of sobriety through conversations with cool, creative, sober people. Advice for the newly sober or those struggling with addiction. Connect with other sober creatives and find support on your sobriety journey. Hosted by Tennessee native, Kristen Bear. Follow @creativesobriety on Instagram and please take a moment to download and share the podcast! Thanks for listening, onward we go.

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Creative Sobriety

Episode 57: Richard O'Brien (@giesenwines)

March 25, 2026 • Kristen Bear

0:00 | 43:28

Hey Y'all!

Welcome back! I'm happy to bring you a conversation with Richard O'Brien, General Manager of Giesen Group which is one of New Zealand's leading family-owned wineries and a global leader in premium non-alcoholic wine.

Since joining the company in 2015, Richard has held senior roles across finance and commercial strategy, playing a pivotal role in Giesen's growth in both traditional and emerging wine categories. He leads the company's global sales and marketing efforts, with a strong focus on the U.S.--Giesen's number one export market.

I was eager to chat with Richard about how Giesen had the foresight to enter the NA market before so many others and why he thinks there is mass resistance among traditional winemakers to innovating and joining the non-alcoholic category.

He shares a bit about the dealcoholization process, what's next for Giesen's NA portfolio, and where he sees the NA market headed in 2026.

I hope you enjoy this conversation!

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