DENVER — As dry January comes to an end, it’s a time to reset in a new year, especially after a year that saw alcohol consumption rising amidst the pandemic.
Wander and Ivy in Denver is changing the way we buy and drink wine.
“They're all my babies but from the beginning the red blend here has been my favorite,” said Dana Spaulding, who has always had a love for wine. “I know I like to incorporate one glass of wine into my healthy lifestyle.”
Opening a bottle when you just want one glass isn’t always ideal, something Spaulding's husband pointed out one day.
“He had said to me, 'are you really going to waste another bottle of wine?'” said Spaulding. “I was so annoyed when he said 'stop wasting wine,' and I realized that he was right.”
So in 2017, she created Wander & Ivy by offering single-serve bottles of wine.
“All of our wine, they are all made with certified organic grapes sourced from a different family-owned vineyard around the world,” said Spaulding. “I wanted it to be more of a luxury than the plastic cans, bags and boxes that exist.”
And last year, when alcohol sales soared with the pandemic, she was able to grow her team along with her business while still allowing people viable options for portion control.
“We grew our sales close to 450% year over year,” said Spaulding. “I was so proud of the fact that we doubled our team last year. I love the fact that you can open it and not feel guilty that you're wasting a full bottle or feel like you need to have the rest of the bottle.”
Quadrupling her sales also meant they were able to give back that much more as well.
“Since the beginning we've been really dedicated to giving back to our community,” said Spaulding.
One percent of Wander & Ivy's profits goes to Colorado Feeding Kids.
“What I love is that you're really able to measure the impact and the donation that you're making, so we're really proud to see that our donation led to 15,000 healthy meals for hungry kids,” said Spaulding.
On top of that growth, 2020 was a year of growth for her family as well: Dana and her husband welcomed their first daughter last January.
“There was a whole lot going on,” said Spaulding. “I say to my husband often that this life we built is a dream come true. The ability to build a business and build a family that is thriving with a remarkable team around me is the total dream.”
Wander & Ivy is available in stores around Colorado and can also be purchased online.
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