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As a sommelier in prestigious Michelin-starred restaurants and with a background in sustainable agriculture, Kristin Olszewski desired to make high-quality organic wine more accessible to individuals who typically avoid it.
Her solution: put it in a can.
In 2017, she founded a company producing canned wines, Nomadicto the market – chosen wine with zero sugar content in ecological packaging. But not everyone was delighted. For many people working in the traditional wine industry, canned wine was difficult to swallow.
“When I started, canned wines were only valuable wines, ones that you wouldn’t really want to pour into a glass,” Olszewski recalls. “I am unable to let you know how many times I used to be laughed at in the gym when I began walking and pedaling to Nomadica people. Even my community and friends in the wine industry were asking: why are you doing this? Nobody wants that. “
It seems they were mistaken. Nomadica is now available direct-to-consumer and at retailers in 25 states reminiscent of Whole Foods, Sprouts and Total Wine, and Target is now available for 2025. Last yr, Nomadica was named the Emerging Beverage Brand of the Year in the Next Wave Awards.
Olszewski joined me on One Day with Jon Bier a podcast about her journey from Harvard graduate to founding father of a successful company and her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Have unique expertise in your industry
Kristin spent years as a sommelier in upscale restaurants in Nantucket, Nashville and New York. This work experience, combined with her studies in sustainable agriculture, earns her unicorn status in the canned wine industry. “I am the only founder with a winemaking background. Everyone else has an MBA or has hired people to manage the wine part,” he says. “I’m the only person who looks at the industry from the bottom up.”
This unique perspective allows Kristin to discover trends and opportunities that others may miss. She gives one example: “I run a wine program in Los Angeles and I noticed that we sold more orange wine by the glass than all other colors combined. Boom. I was the first to introduce orange wine in a can and now a box to the market, distributed throughout the country.”
Build real relationships with board members and investors
Kristin prides herself on being very open and honest with investors about the challenges Nomadica faces. It surrounds itself with a management team composed mainly of operators with business experience who can support it through ups and downs. Full disclosure: I used to be one of Kristin’s first angel investors and I wrote her the biggest check I’ve ever written up to now because she checked every box for me.
Pay attention to emerging trends and consumer preferences.
Despite Nomadika’s success, Kristin does not rest on her laurels. He continuously strives to innovate and stay awake up to now with changes in the industry. For example, he notes that Millennials and Generation Z are becoming more aware of what they eat, contrary to the common belief that these generations are simply driven by fancy labels and marketing gimmicks.
“This is an incredibly educated consumer who is a nerd and who thinks deeply about what they are consuming today,” he says.
Stay true to your style
Kristin intentionally built Nomadica slowly, starting with partnerships in luxury hotels and properties. Against the advice she received, she focused on generating quick sales before expanding into mass retailing.
“I chose this slow, difficult path because I feel it is also my atmosphere, it is my energy. I never do anything the easy way, which annoys me. All my friends are constantly annoyed about it, but I knew it was the right way to build the brand, and now we’re ready for retail.”
Don’t be afraid to query the establishment
As a founder in a male-dominated industry, Kristin faced a lot of skepticism and opposition when she founded Nomadica. However, she didn’t quit on her vision of revolutionizing the wine industry and making it less pretentious.
No one laughs at her crazy idea anymore.
“If you look at the wine industry right now, the only segments that are growing are sparkling wines in cans over $15, which is right at our price point,” he says. “I feel like while everyone else is phasing out wine or making cocktails in wine cans, I’m leaning in because I still see opportunity.”