Peter Andrews

And I think, especially in the last 30 years, you've seen the quality increase so dramatically that now the marketing needs to change, the messaging needs to change, and we need to have better storytelling about the incredible dynamic young winemakers that are taking hold of the industry.

So that's where my focus is.

I'm really trying to premiumize and change the narrative and make...

people realize, whether that's trade or consumers, that South African wine is world-class and worthy of being in Michelin restaurants, great bottle lists, and just generally something you can drink.

Yeah, so I think traditionally trying to sell wine nationally is very challenging, and usually that means the big guys get the most amount of representation.

But I think the big guys have looked at South Africa as a way to create an inexpensive category.

So now that I'm coming in and bringing these small artisan organic farms making like seriously good wine, I'm trying to get the best sommeliers and wine buyers to say like, just give me 20 minutes of your time.

Let me show you these wines.

And I promise once it's in the glass, it'll deliver.

And it's been working.

I've worked with several Michelin restaurants, Michelin star restaurants here in the Bay Area and around California, and they're selling the wine.

My California distribution channel has an 80% reorder rate.

70% of my business is coming from the California direct channel, and 80% of that reorders.

And what percentage of your business is direct through your website?

So only 15%.

Okay.

Basically, the way that I've used that channel to date is all the wholesale work that I'm doing kind of funnels people into realizing I even exist.

I haven't spent any money on digital advertising.

I do have a pretty robust social media presence like through Instagram, and I keep wanting to try to build that.

but it's been entirely organic.