The DRINKS.com Podcast: The Business of Online Alcohol

How to Crack the U.S. Wine Market: Beating the Three‑Tier Maze & Winning Big‑Box Retail - 25

Brandon Amoroso Season 1 Episode 25

Brandon Amoroso sits down with Pedro Garcia—Managing Director USA & Canada for global wine powerhouse Felix Solis Avantis—to unpack the playbook he’s used to push a family‑owned Spanish brand into Costco, Sam’s Club, and dozens of regional chains. Pedro reveals how deep distributor know‑how, retailer‑focused “experience trips,” and relentless price‑to‑quality discipline can help any wine entrepreneur outmaneuver the three‑tier bottleneck, survive margin‑crunching headwinds, and prep for the coming DTC and “fourth‑tier” e‑commerce wave. Tune in for hard‑won lessons on activating chain buyers, choosing the right moments to invest in digital, and building a sustainability story that resonates with modern consumers. Perfect listening for founders, sales leads, and portfolio managers looking to scale smart in 2025’s hyper‑competitive U.S. market.


Here's what you'll learn:

🗺️ How to navigate—and sometimes outsmart—the U.S. three‑tier labyrinth.

🏬 Pedro’s playbook for landing family brands in Costco, Sam’s Club, and other big‑box chains.

✈️ Why vineyard “immersion trips” turn distributors and buyers into lifelong evangelists—and how to run them on a budget.

⚖️ The price‑to‑quality formula that keeps shelf space during margin‑squeezed times.

☀️ How solar power, low‑carbon logistics, and QR‑code transparency elevate your sustainability story.

💻 A realistic timeline for layering in DTC and emerging “fourth‑tier” e‑commerce without alienating wholesalers.

🎯 Content moves that keep your winery discoverable on TikTok and ChatGPT searches.

🚀 Where indie producers can outmaneuver celebrity labels and private brands in 2025.


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