There has been a broad push in the United States to eliminate corporate policies that encourage diversity and inclusion. But which drinks brands are standing strong, and which are bouncing DEI initiatives out of the boardroom? Kathleen Willcox reports.
When President Donald Trump
blamed a fatal crash between a passenger plane and an Army helicopter in Washington, D.C. on the Federal Aviation Administration's diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policy, it felt like a nail in the coffin to many.
Trump's comments reflected a growing push against diversity within corporations, educational institutions and government organisations which has seen company after company denounce DEI policies: Amazon, Meta, Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s and Target are among those to have ditched DEI policies moving forward.
The drinks industry—one of the most vocal pro-diversity sectors of business —has been swept up in the controversy. Responsible for about 1.65% of the US economy and with a $363.33 billion economic impact annually, the drinks trade is at a crossroads.
The F Word
“This climate is distressing, and people are very concerned across the board,” says Alicia Towns Franklin, executive director of Wine Unify, which launched in 2020 to create more opportunities in wine through education for underrepresented minority groups.
“DEI has become the F word, so I don’t even use it in the context of our work. I use the words: diversity, equity and inclusion. If those words trigger you, the problem is with you.”
Towns Franklin notes that drinks producers have been taking one of three paths amid the backlash.
“There are obviously those who have publicly turned away,” she says. “And there are others, like our supporters, who are doubling down and reaching into their pockets with donations, support and offers of mentorship, educational seminars, and more. Then there are others who are still quietly doing the work, but not necessarily drawing attention to it and not calling it DEI.”
Turning away from DEI
Bud Light became a target for right-wing activists in 2023 following a social media partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Consumers boycotted Bud Light, and
sales tanked by almost 30%.
Since then, other major organizations like Brown-Forman and Molson Coors have officially terminated their DEI policies, according to leaked internal emails posted by anti-DEI campaigner Robby Starbuck on X.
Sprits giant Brown-Forman pledged to review its training programmes, remove quantitative workforce and supplier diversity ambitions and end participation in the Human Rights Campaign’s corporate equality index survey.
Meanwhile, Molson Coors also
pledged to end DEI-based training programmes, and participation in the Human Rights Campaign’s corporate equality index social rating system, as well as nixing supplier diversity goals.
Quietly continuing DEI
Many other drinks brands are, as Towns Franklin puts it, “doing the work” without being as vocal about it as companies tended to do following the murder of George Floyd in a re-examination of corporate culture.
Sprawling national wine, beer and spirits companies like Jackson Family Wines, Constellation Brands, Southern Glazer’s, Gallo, the Boston Beer Company, the Brooklyn Brewery and Diageo are a handful of the many powerful drinks brands employing thousands of people and running active DEI campaigns.
For many brands, quietly doing the work is just part of being a decent human being and a savvy business owner.
“At
Milea Estate Vineyard, we’ve always believed in hiring based on talent, passion and a shared drive to propel Hudson Valley wine into a new era of excellence,” says Russell Moss, Milea’s general manager. “As New Yorkers, we are naturally influenced by the incredible diversity of New York City, which has led to the formation of a team that reflects a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives.”
Milea’s hospitality manager Mina Do and executive Chef David Kim are of Korean descent, which brings a unique perspective to their culinary and hospitality brand, he says. Milea’s winemaker, River Allan, is one of the few transgender winemakers in the world.
“These diverse perspectives help shape not only our work culture, but also the experiences we create for our guests,” Moss says.
Fairness and opportunity
Ellie Anest, founder of
Eleven Eleven Wines in Napa, is on the same page.
“As a first generation college graduate and the daughter of a Greek immigrant mother, I understand first-hand the challenges of feeling different in certain social circles,” Anest says. “Our dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion is not just a corporate value—it is a deeply personal commitment that reflects my own journey and the fundamental ideals of fairness and opportunity that define the American experience.”
Many European brands, including Italian sparkling wine house
Ferrari Trento, have settled on the middle road of having strong diversity and inclusion policies, without feeling the need to produce TikTok videos about them.
“It is not something we want to hide, but it’s also not something we necessarily feel the need to promote in marketing material,” communications director Camilla Lunelli says, pointing to Ferrari Trento's work on
gender equity and other smaller initiatives that support migrant communities and those with physical disabilities.
“Many of our programmes are long-standing but informal. It’s not something we focus on communicating, we just do it because it’s part of our philosophy as a company. It’s just the right thing to give back to the community and to be environmentally responsible.”
Possibility and opportunity
Other wineries are using the opportunity to not just continue, but underline their commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Take the B Corp-certified Trois Noix Wine in Calistoga. The brand was launched in 2013 by Jaime Araujo out of a love of wine but also a passion for social change.
“It was built on the pillars of creating community, possibility and opportunity,” Araujo says. “We focus on creating and expanding opportunities for intentionally and historically ignored groups in wine.
"DEI isn’t an initiative for us. It is part of our DNA. It's the flour in the cupcake, not the frosting.”
Like Trois Noix, VITAL Wines was founded with DEI in its DNA.
“The core of our mission is to promote the health, dignity and inclusion of vineyard workers and their families,” says Maddie Richards, executive director of VITAL Wines in Walla Walla, pointing out that Washington State’s $9.5 billion wine industry relies on farmworkers.
VITAL has created four main programms that it funds.
Promotora de Salud sends two health workers to vineyards to provide healthcare resources in Walla Walla and the Yakima Valley; VITAL Vision funds annual eye exams and a pair of glasses for vineyard workers, their children or grandchildren; Day at Home provides up to 10 days of pay during medical emergencies; and SOS Health Services Clinic serves the uninsured and underinsured.
“These reduce barriers, which allows for vineyard workers to have more equitable access to the many resources available to the community,” Richards says.
These programmes are all funded through purchases of VITAL wines, and donations to partnerships with healthcare providers in Washington. Despite the pullback in support for DEI in some sectors, Richards says their partners have continued to rally to the cause.
Forging ahead
Others agree that forging ahead with their values intact is the best way forward.
“We are not going to do anything different,” says Dai Deh, vice president of marketing and DTC for Distinguished Vineyards, a collection of wineries from prestigious regions across the world, including Argyle Winery in the Willamette Valley, TEXTBOOK Napa Valley and Markham Vineyards in Napa, among others, under its umbrella. “We have been dedicated to pushing gender equity and inclusiveness for many years.”
The organisation has reached gender parity across its managerial roles, which, Deh points out, is far from the industry norm.
“Being more inclusive to us is about making everyone feel welcome, like they belong and that they give value,” Deh says. “It comes in many forms, and while we are proud to have such a strong female winemaking team, we are also investing in educational initiatives and working with oenology schools in California and Oregon to learn about the obstacles that under-represented people face, and help get to the root cause of them.”
One of the biggest obstacles, Deh and others note, is simply access.
Access is key
Providing access—literally—to wine country is what inspired food and wine entrepreneur Maryam Ahmed to found Field Blends.
An immersive food and wine travel experience created with the goal of introducing wine lovers and professionals to a true wine country experience, Field Blend encourages individuals from underrepresented communities to apply for scholarships, which will pay for their epicurean adventure.
“Every year we work with a different region and community partner,” she explains, adding that Field Blend has visited Washington, Michigan and New York. This year they are headed to Lodi in Lombardy, Italy.
“Every year we aim to have between three and six scholarship recipients.”
And for those interested in pursuing a career in wine writing, they’ll leave the experience with an assignment. “Lauren Buzzeo works with writers on an 800-word, paid story in Full Pour,” Ahmed says. “Often it ends up being the first story they have in print.”
Stuart Spencer, executive director of the Lodi Winegrape Commission, says he sees incredible value in welcoming Field Blends to the region.
“It introduces new people and communities to Lodi and creates meaningful opportunities in our industry,” Spencer says. “Wine is more than just soil and climate. It’s a reflection of people, culture and community. If we want our industry to thrive, we must make wine more accessible and approachable.”
Reality check: demographics
As Spencer alludes to, the demographics of the United States are often not reflected in the people who gate-keep, make and sell wine.
About 82% of Baby Boomers (people born 1946 and 1964) identify as White, while 4% identify as Hispanic, 13% as Black, 1% as Asian and 1% as other, according to the Pew Research Center. About 2% identify as LGBTQ+, according to Gallup.
Gen Z (people born between 1997 and 2012) meanwhile is much more diverse. About 52% of Gen Z identify as White, 25% as Hispanic, 14% as Black, 6% as Asian and 5% as Other. About 21% identify as LGBTQ+, according to Gallup.
Brands that have overtly rejected or neglected diversity initiatives may be in a good place this year under Trump, but long-term?
“The industry will only be smarter and richer if it allows more people to participate in the economy,” says Towns Franklin. “A glass of wine over food should bring people together. We have seen our supporters show up more than ever because they understand that. They have a long-term vision for their company, and they understand that it has to be inherently inclusive.”
Bouncing DEI out of the boardroom
The brands that were quick to use DEI as a marketing ploy, and just as quick to bounce it out of the boardroom when the going got tough will not go unnoticed, Araujo says.
“Consumers can tell when you’re not authentic,” Araujo notes. “For us, about 90% of the people engaging with our grand are Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z. We are about 50/50 split on gender.”
Overt and covert corporate support for policies designed by politicians to discriminate against and devalue citizens is nothing new. What’s also not new is a strong core group of companies and executives who stand strong, and continue to champion human rights.
Consumers can weigh in with their pocketbooks, and support businesses that actively advocate diversity and inclusion. And yes, there is a
guide for doing just that.
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