Business of Drinks 87: Inside Barefoot’s Playbook for Recruiting New Wine Drinkers — with Britt West - Business of Drinks
How do you keep a 60-year-old wine brand growing—especially when it’s already the biggest in America? You appeal to a new generation of wine drinkers.
In this episode, we sit down with Britt West, Chief Commercial Officer at Gallo, to unpack the growth playbook behind Barefoot Wine, the country’s #1 wine brand by dollar sales.
When Gallo acquired Barefoot in 2005, it was a 600,000-case business. Today, it’s more than 14 million cases and still expanding — bringing in an estimated 2.6 million new consumers to wine last year alone.
Britt shares how Barefoot continues to unlock growth through smart innovation, consumer-driven formats, and bold marketing that meets people where they are.
We discuss:
The growth engine behind America’s biggest wine brand: How Barefoot keeps growing year after year in a flat category.
Consumer obsession as strategy: Why longtime winemaker Jen Wall’s 30-year run is built on being “intellectually curious about consumers” — not just about wine.
Format innovation that fuels recruitment: How Tetra packs, single serves, and flavored wines are attracting Gen Z and bringing new drinkers into the category.
How Barefoot wins culture: From the NFL partnership to viral campaigns like the Bandwagon Box with Donna Kelce, Britt explains how Barefoot makes wine feel right at home in football season and pop culture.
Branding lessons for every entrepreneur: Britt’s advice for founders on why packaging is your silent salesperson — and why brand relevance beats perfection in the glass.
The future of wine: Why Britt believes the current wine slowdown is cyclical, not structural — and how the industry can fight back for consumer attention (and dollars).
For any drinks entrepreneur or marketer trying to understand how legacy brands stay fresh this episode is packed with takeaways on modern brand building.
🎧 Listen now to hear how Barefoot has stayed relevant for 60 years—and what it teaches us about recruiting the next generation of wine drinkers.
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Business of Drinks:
Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.
Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.
Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.
SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks
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