Wine Connoisseur offers operators a new and easy revenue opportunity

As an operator, I would regularly hear from clients who were interested in having my company deliver alcohol. The requests typically came from law firms, ad agencies, real estate offices, music and entertainment entities and tech startups.

It was not a passing trend. Demand is on the uptick today, and Raphael Yakoby has found a way for operators to cash in with his newest venture, the Wine Connoisseur Sommelier System.

Considered a perk

According to career education firm, OfficeNinjas, for many companies — often startups and agency-like firms — drinking on the job is now considered a perk. “Bloomberg’s ‘Businessweek' reports that Yelp’s headquarters in San Francisco is equipped with a keg refrigerator that supplies its employees with an endless supply of beer. At the Arnold Worldwide Ad agency in Boston, look no further than the office’s beer vending machine, affectionately called Arnie.”

To entice hybrid employees to come into the office, companies are planning more social events, many of which include alcohol. Propmodo, a real estate news website, reports, “At birthday parties, corporate celebrations, and the annual holiday parties–drinks are almost always available. It’s not just about work parties. Imbibing at the office during a daytime social event or after work hours has become part of business culture in much of the world. And now it’s being encouraged even more.”

A home-grown idea

Yakoby is aware of the trend. A successful liquor industry entrepreneur, he came up with the idea of developing a single-serve wine system after watching his wife ponder over her morning Nespresso selection.

“I asked myself, why hasn’t anyone developed something like this for wine? So, I developed the Wine Connoisseur, a single-serve wine system,” he said. “It’s like having your own personal sommelier that serves your wine to you perfectly, at the right temperature and aerated. We achieve this by utilizing our patented dispensing technologies.”

The Wine Connoisseur Sommelier System — the actual equipment — looks like a very artistic version of a Keurig machine. There is a white wine/rosé model and a red wine model. The wine itself comes in a patented, recyclable sachet, which gives it a two-year shelf life. The sachet reminds me of a large Flavia packet, but it dispenses a perfectly chilled and aerated glass of wine. The wine sachets are sold in four packs, at less than $10 per glass.

“We offer a vast array of outstanding wines from all over the world,” Yakoby said. “We hand-select our vineyards and wineries to offer exceptional wines from great wine regions. Whether you like Napa Chardonnay, Washington Pinot Noir, or an Italian Tuscan, we have it covered. Now you can enjoy a perfect glass of wine, without having to chill, aerate, open multiple bottles or waste unfinished wine. This is the future of the single-serve wine experience, and we are excited to bring it to operators.”

How does an operator make money?

Clearly, the Wine Connoisseur Sommelier System is an impressive concept, but there was an obvious question to ask: How does an operator make money with the Wine Connoisseur Sommelier System?

Yakoby was ready for that question. “I know that operators do not typically have a liquor license, so they can’t sell the wine directly. What operators do have is access to some great locations — high-end workplaces, hospitality, airport lounges, high-end retail. There are so many places where this system will be successful,” he said. “I also understand that operators are attracted to recurring revenue with minimal investment. So, with that in mind, I developed a distribution model especially for operators.”

His distribution model is simple:

• An operator buys the equipment (at a discounted price) for their client and sets it up as an ongoing rental, with regular cleaning and maintenance built in. There is the recurring revenue stream Yakoby mentioned.
• The client buys the wine directly from the Wine Connoisseur website, and the operator is paid a commission for each sale. More recurring revenue, with no effort.

Wine can open some new doors

Yakoby points to another important benefit that comes with operating his Wine Connoisseur Sommelier System. “This is the kind of product that can open the door to a very attractive new account,” he noted. “I’m talking about the big law firm that will not give you the time of day, and then suddenly, you are offering a fantastic wine-serving solution, and they will want you to come in and give them a demo. Now, you are in front of a decision maker with a tremendous edge over the existing supplier that could result in a lot more than just the wine business at the location.”

Bob Tullio’s take on the Wine Connoisseur Sommelier System

Up until about 2010, there was a competitor of mine in Los Angeles who had a liquor license and delivered alcohol to their clients. Because of that feature — that competitive advantage — their accounts were untouchable even though their service was mediocre at best. I believe the Wine Connoisseur Sommelier System makes sense for operators, especially if it can lead to some great new business.

In fact, I would approach a large new account that is interested in the Wine Connoisseur Sommelier System and offer them the hardware for free as consideration for the OCS, pantry service and water business. The offer would certainly get their attention.

Other important considerations:

• There is no expenditure by the operator until the sale is made.
• The system itself is not expensive.
• The recurring revenue aspect is appealing from both the rental and commission standpoint.

To learn more about the Wine Connoisseur Sommelier System:

• Visit b2b.wineconnoisseur.com
• Email [email protected]