Create Your Own Private Label Wine
Have you ever heard people talking about drinking private label wines and wondered what that was all about? Maybe you've thought about creating your own private label but didn't know where to start. Here's an introduction to the world of private label wine production.
Why to Have Your Own Private Label
There are many reasons people enjoy having their own private wine label:
- to compete with other retail businesses by offering a unique brand (e.g., grocery store, gourmet shop, etc.)
- to set your restaurant or bar apart from others
- to commemorate a special event, like a wedding or anniversary
- to impress clients or business associates
- to have fun as wine enthusiasts
How Private Label Wines Work
There are three basic ways most people produce a private label wine. The first is to do it from start to finish yourself (not the usual choice--this is a full-time business). The other ways are to work with a service that connects you with a winemaker and handles the details or to make the arrangements with the winemaker yourself, including the labeling (often the most fun part).
Whether you work with a service or do it yourself, you will be connecting with a vineyard that has excess fruit or a winemaker that has already turned those grapes into wine. This bulk wine is unclaimed, just waiting for a buyer to purchase it for their own use. This generally isn't a problem in the wine industry, because most wines only improve with age.
Considerations When Finding a Winemaker
There are numerous considerations to take into account when working with a winemaker:
- What type and quality of wine do you wish to produce?
- What is your profit margin on the wine? Can you afford it once you factor in all the aspects of production and selling?
- How much wine do you need to purchase?
- Can this winemaker keep supplying you with that wine or a similar one over time?
- What are the bottling and shipping costs and time frames?
Labeling
Once you purchase your wine, you will need to label it--the whole point of having a private label wine and most people's favorite part of the process! You want it to look appealing on the shelf to attract customers or convey the image or memories you desire for entertaining or big events.
For a completely unique look, you can hire a graphic designer to create a label for you. You can get some ideas by looking at other bottles first. Think about all the aspects you need on the label, including a front image, a back image, and any bar coding. You may also need to include a government warning label and information about geography or alcohol content if you are selling your wine.
You can then take your custom-made design to a label manufacturer to have it printed. Many label companies today offer peel-and-stick wine labels, and some even have templates you can use as an alternative to hiring a graphic designer.
Having a private label wine can be a fun and prestigious undertaking. In less than a year, you could have your own brand of wine and put your business or special event on the forefront of everyone's mind. Talk to experts like United Label Canada Ltd for more information about labels.