Tell us more about you and the biz:

Born and raised in the Chicago area. Along with my brother Adam, I’ve been running our family import wine company Winesellers, Ltd. for the past 15 years. Organic wines have been a strong part of our national portfolio for many years, and a focus of our business. Our model for Winesellers is wholesale distribution, but Kind of Wild is our first project in e-commerce. We believe the growth of organic wines has been hampered by limited supply and a limited breadth of offerings. This is why we started Kind of Wild, to offer globally crafted certified organic and certified vegan wines for a growing base of consumers needing more from the wines they consume.

How did your business come to be?

During the middle of 2020 and knee-deep in a pandemic, the business plan for Kind of Wild was created. The pandemic combined with the certainty that e-commerce for wine would continue to grow showed us it was the right time to start this new venture. It was a major pivot for us into a new channel, as all of our prior business was in wholesale distribution and never direct-to-consumer.

What makes your products unique?

We see a problem in the wine space that many people may not even know exists. People want to consume and eat organically but it seems that many consumers do not necessarily behave the same way when it comes to beverages. The certified organic produce market in the US is 15% of the whole product category, yet only 2% of American vineyards are certified organic (5% globally). This disparity showed us not only there was a problem that people should ask more from their beverage producers and how they operate, but also an opportunity to support organic growers and winemakers that do wonderful work for the environment and the health of their customers. It is not right that people do not look to organic first for their wines when they lead a lifestyle that supports this in other aspects.

How has your business impacted you personally?

I buy organic and natural foods for myself and my family whenever possible. This was the inspiration behind introducing Kind of Wild, as we believe in what we created. The biggest impact for me came when we first partnered with Kiss the Ground (checkout their Netflix doc if you have not yet). We always looked at organic agriculture and winemaking as more of a micro-issue, meaning that it was better for the local ecosystem and for those that directly consumer it. Kiss the Ground taught us that healthy soils, as a result of organic and regenerative agriculture, have the ability to be a bonified global climate solution. Soils rich in microorganisms draw in and regenerate legacy carbon from the atmosphere. This is such a powerful message to present a positive solution to the climate crisis.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as an entrepreneur?

Developing a website for e-commerce that was simple and not overcomplicated. Too much choice and decision-making are paralyzing for most consumers and it’s challenging to develop a story and product attributes that are just right and not too much!

What’s next for you and your business?

Discovering more organic and vegan wines to bring to our customers!

Shop Kind of Wild here and give them a follow on Instagram!