Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/670021
w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m BY DEBORAH PARKER WONG hen Rare Earth, Bronco Wine Com- pany's newest wine brand made from organic grapes, hit the shelves of 450 Trader Joe's stores in Febru- ary, its arrival raised the question: Will Rare Earth be Bronco's next Charles Shaw? Dur- ing an interview with Bronco CEO Fred Franzia shortly after his polarizing keynote at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in January, his reply to that million-case ques- tion stacks up in favor of the nation's leading organic retailer. "If Trader Joe's positions Rare Earth to be the number one organic item in America, it will be," says Franzia, who believes that quality and accessibility will qualify the red blend (which retails for $7.99) to become the Charles Shaw of the organic category. As the mainstreaming of organic contin- ues across the consumer package goods sector at a brisk pace, research on wine trends and fads (presented at Unified by Nielsen's Danny Brager) found 30% of wine consumers surveyed were keenly inter- ested in organic brands. When that trend is viewed in conjunction with the growth of red blends priced at less than $10 being driven by millennial, African American and Hispanic consumers, the future of an organ- ic wine brand that's in the right place at the right price could very well mean another home run for Franzia. With more than 60 brands to its credit, Bronco already markets a handful of brands made from organic grapes in addition to Rare Earth: Cottonwood Creek, Green Fin and Green Truck can be found labeled accord- ingly at Trader Joe's stores across 35 states. Sourcing organic grapes isn't going to pose a challenge for Bronco, which is in the process of converting 5,000 acres in Madera Coun- ty that will come online as certified organic next year. "When I asked CCOF [California Certified Organic Farmers] what the biggest obstacle was to going organic, I was sur- prised to find the answer was weeds," says Franzia. "Mechanical weed hoes are the solution to that problem." A focus on sustainability drives progress as Bronco Wine Company hits a 1 billion bottle milestone. Will Rare Earth be Bronco's next Charles Shaw? [Photo courtesy of Bronco Wine Company] 7 4 V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T | M a y - J u n e 2 016