O'Neill Vintners & Distillers Moves to Breakthru Beverage Group in California
LARKSPUR, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- O'Neill Vintners & Distillers, a Certified B Corp company, has appointed Breakthru Beverage Group as its new distribution partner in California, effective August 1, 2025. The decision follows the exit of Republic National Distributing Company from the California market and represents a strategic move to ensure continuity, service excellence, and long-term alignment in one of the country's most important wine markets.
'We are grateful that our longstanding partnership with Breakthru allowed us to significantly expand our partnership,' said Jeff O'Neill, Founder & CEO of O'Neill Vintners & Distillers. 'As we begin our new chapter with Breakthru Beverage Group in California, we're focused on ensuring a seamless transition rooted in operational excellence, shared values, and an unwavering commitment to our customers.'
"The expanded partnership with O'Neill Vintners & Distillers and Breakthru represents a deepening of a strong, well-established relationship," said Adam Pizer, SVP Wine Business Development at Breakthru Beverage Group. 'We are excited about what we can achieve together in California."
O'Neill Vintners & Distillers partnership expansion further strengthens the strategic relationship with Breakthru Beverage Group, now representing the company in 16 key markets across the country. 'Breakthru has consistently shown a deep understanding of our business, our brands, and the standards we set for execution and service,' O'Neill continued. 'Our work together has delivered impressive results, and we're confident this same level of partnership and performance will benefit our customers and trade partners in California.'
At the national level, no other changes are planned across the US. Ron Mertz, SVP Commercial Strategy at O'Neill, shared 'It's critical that we remain closely aligned with our important wholesale partners as we continue to grow. We value our relationships with these organizations deeply and are committed to working collaboratively to support our customers and the trade with consistency, care, and integrity.'
As a Certified B Corporation, O'Neill Vintners & Distillers is guided by a belief that business can—and should—be a force for good. Mertz added, 'Whether you are a distributor, a retailer, or a customer, our commitment is the same: we put relationships first and our decisions are made with a long-term view toward quality, service, and sustainable impact.'
About O'Neill Vintners & Distillers
O'Neill Vintners & Distillers, a Certified B Corporation, is a family-owned, vertically integrated wine and spirits company dedicated to crafting exceptional wines and spirits while setting a new standard for sustainability in the industry. Founded in 2004 by visionary Jeff O'Neill, the company has emerged as a true leader in environmental stewardship—proving that scale and sustainability can go hand in hand. O'Neill has earned some of the highest honors in the field, including B Corp Certification, Regenerative Organic Certified® status, and the prestigious Green Medal Leader Award from the California Wine Institute. These accolades reflect not only a deep commitment to regenerative farming and climate-smart practices, but also a bold vision for the future of wine and spirits. With winery estates in Sonoma and Paso Robles and a winery facility in Parlier, O'Neill's diverse portfolio includes Ram's Gate Winery, Robert Hall Winery, Line 39, Wines of Substance, FitVine Wine, Harken Chardonnay, Rabble Wine Company, Charles Woodson's Intercept, No. 209 Gin, and BrandyLab. To learn more, visit www.ONeillWine.com.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
The key change to PIP in the welfare bill that will affect your benefit payments
PIP claimants will be given three months of payments if their next application is rejected to adjust to life without the benefit, according to the government's newly published welfare bill. The first draft of the bill, published on Wednesday, includes a "transitional window" for claimants of the disability benefit totalling 13 weeks to soften the blow for those losing thousands of pounds as the government tightens the benefit's eligibility criteria. It is one of a number of measures the government has introduced to soften its controversial welfare bill over a fear of backlash from its own Labour MPs. However, the government has fallen short of making the qualifying for PIP less strict, which was meant to spare 195,000 fewer disabled people from losing out. Both campaigners and MPs have voiced concerns over the damage the cuts could cause for vulnerable and disabled people, with at least 800,000 people claiming PIP expected to lose an average of £4,500 per year by 2029/30. At the last count, a reported 170 MPs from Labour said they would oppose the bill during the parliamentary vote, which is expected later on this month. The plans were outlined by work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall earlier this year, who proposed overhauling welfare system through a series of benefit cuts. The move is expected to save the government £5bn as it restricts the eligibility criteria for PIP, as well as freezing the rate for the health component of universal credit. The bill is expected to be voted on by MPs later on this month. Yahoo News takes a look at what this means for PIP. When a PIP claimant receives the benefit, they are given a set amount of funding, which lasts for up to ten years. The amount of time this claim lasts varies. However, if a person's circumstances change, or their award expires, they need to apply to the department for work and pensions (DWP) to receive payments in the future. Now, if a person's next PIP claim is rejected, their claim is stopped entirely and their financial support is cut immediately. The only exception is if a person who has previously claimed youth disability benefit the disability living allowance (DLA), and applies for PIP when they turn 16 and has their claim rejected. Then, they are given five weeks of payments. Now, the government wants to introduce a transitional period so those who claim PIP and have their next claim rejected have financial support to adjust to to life without the benefit. This would also mean applicants have time to apply for another benefit and have it instated, if they qualify. Campaigners and charities have argued that with around 1.2 million people now expected to miss out on PIP until 2029/30, it's the least the government can do. James Watson-O'Neill, Chief Executive of the disability charity Sense, told Yahoo News: 'The government's proposed cuts to disability benefits will have devastating consequences for disabled people across the country - pushing thousands further into poverty, hardship, and isolation. 'Many disabled people already find themselves in debt because current benefits don't stretch far enough. Cutting support further at a time when the cost of living remains high is not only unjust — it is cruel. 'We urge MPs to listen to disabled people and reject this legislation. Our welfare system should support those who need it most — not abandon them.' The second reading of the bill will take place on Thursday 19 June.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Forbes
Luxury Western Wear Brand Kemo Sabe Is Launching A Tequila
Kemo Sabe is known for giving customers free tequila to sip while they shop. Now, one of the tequila brands that will sit behind the retailer's bars will be its own. The Colorado-based Western wear retailer is unveiling a new tequila brand called Original Grit Tequila, which will be available at Kemo Sabe's Aspen and Vail locations and shipped online to customers in around 45 states. Original Grit Tequila has three expressions—blanco, reposado and añejo—and will also be sold in liquor stores and bars across Colorado. The three expressions will be priced between $100 to $130 per bottle, fitting neatly into the premium pricing range that Kemo Sabe fetches for boots that can fetch over $1,800, outwear that can sell for well north of $3,000 and $18,000 bracelets. But why launch a tequila? 'I'm obsessed with tequila,' Kemo Sabe owner Wendy Kunkle tells me during a virtual interview. 'I love it.' Over the course of more than four years, Kunkle worked closely with beverage distribution expert Michael Klauer to conceptualize a tequila brand that could fit into the brand aesthetic of Kemo Sabe. 'We tried to put the energy of the store in the bottle,' Klauer, co-owner of Original Grit Tequila, tells me. Over the course of several trips to Mexico, he finally honed in on partnering with the Partida family, fifth-generation tequila producers. Klauer says his rollout plan will include distribution in Colorado with beverage wholesaler Breakthru Beverage Group. Further expansion is planned for later this year in California, Texas and Illinois. By 2026, the brand hopes to be sold in bars and liquor stores across up to 15 states. 'We're really following the Kemo Sabe customers,' says Klauer, of the markets he intends to prioritize. As for the taste, Kunkle says she's always been on the hunt for new tequilas that could rival her personal favorite, Clase Azul. But the price point for that brand—bottles are sold for as little as $150 to over $2,000 on ReserveBar—can feel cost prohibitive. Her intent was to develop a tequila at a more accessible price point, but still premium, that she would love as much as Clase Azul. 'We have the most amazing products in the world—hats, boots and buckles—why shouldn't we have it in our bars?' asks Kunkle. Kemo Sabe's tequila launch come as demand for agave-based Mexican spirits have soared in the U.S. for more than a decade. Sales of tequila and mezcal totaled $6.7 billion in 2024, according to industry advocate the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, making it the second-largest category after vodka. But that growth has also led to a lot of competition, from industry giants like Diageo, Bacardi and Pernod Ricard that have heavily invested in the category and scooped up some of the most popular brands, as well as celebrity-backed tequilas including George Clooney's Casamigos, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's Teremana and Sammy Hagar's Santo. Entering the crowded tequila category—even without a celebrity backer—fits neatly into Kemo Sabe's own brand equity, which includes much-heralded love from stars including Beyoncé and Shania Twain. Kunkle says she has no plans to include a celebrity endorser for Original Grit Tequila. 'If people love it, just like Kemo Sabe, it's all word of mouth,' she says of her minimalist marketing strategy. The brand enjoyed a cultural breakthrough moment in 2022 when Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards took the show's cast to Kemo Sabe's store in Aspen for a shopping event. The trip seemed innocuous enough, but soon after they arrived, a tequila slight occurred—as they often do on the Real Housewives—between costars Kathy Hilton and Lisa Rinna. The great affront? Rinna ordered model Kendall Jenner's 818 tequila from Kemo Sabe's bar, rather than Casa Del Sol, a brand that heiress Hilton has invested in. The slight enraged Hilton and led to a huge blow up on the show, which also spilled out into the press and led to plenty of free publicity for Kemo Sabe. Stars from the Salt Lake City and Potomac franchises have also filmed at Kemo Sabe, and Kunkle says she has no intention to stop offering brands like 818 to shoppers now that she has her own tequila to promote. But, that doesn't mean she doesn't want to get in on the action too. 'We love a lot of brands, they're great, and we get to rep them in our bars,' says Kunkle. 'Why not rep our own too?'
Business Wire
6 days ago
- Business Wire
O'Neill Vintners & Distillers Moves to Breakthru Beverage Group in California
LARKSPUR, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- O'Neill Vintners & Distillers, a Certified B Corp company, has appointed Breakthru Beverage Group as its new distribution partner in California, effective August 1, 2025. The decision follows the exit of Republic National Distributing Company from the California market and represents a strategic move to ensure continuity, service excellence, and long-term alignment in one of the country's most important wine markets. 'We are grateful that our longstanding partnership with Breakthru allowed us to significantly expand our partnership,' said Jeff O'Neill, Founder & CEO of O'Neill Vintners & Distillers. 'As we begin our new chapter with Breakthru Beverage Group in California, we're focused on ensuring a seamless transition rooted in operational excellence, shared values, and an unwavering commitment to our customers.' "The expanded partnership with O'Neill Vintners & Distillers and Breakthru represents a deepening of a strong, well-established relationship," said Adam Pizer, SVP Wine Business Development at Breakthru Beverage Group. 'We are excited about what we can achieve together in California." O'Neill Vintners & Distillers partnership expansion further strengthens the strategic relationship with Breakthru Beverage Group, now representing the company in 16 key markets across the country. 'Breakthru has consistently shown a deep understanding of our business, our brands, and the standards we set for execution and service,' O'Neill continued. 'Our work together has delivered impressive results, and we're confident this same level of partnership and performance will benefit our customers and trade partners in California.' At the national level, no other changes are planned across the US. Ron Mertz, SVP Commercial Strategy at O'Neill, shared 'It's critical that we remain closely aligned with our important wholesale partners as we continue to grow. We value our relationships with these organizations deeply and are committed to working collaboratively to support our customers and the trade with consistency, care, and integrity.' As a Certified B Corporation, O'Neill Vintners & Distillers is guided by a belief that business can—and should—be a force for good. Mertz added, 'Whether you are a distributor, a retailer, or a customer, our commitment is the same: we put relationships first and our decisions are made with a long-term view toward quality, service, and sustainable impact.' About O'Neill Vintners & Distillers O'Neill Vintners & Distillers, a Certified B Corporation, is a family-owned, vertically integrated wine and spirits company dedicated to crafting exceptional wines and spirits while setting a new standard for sustainability in the industry. Founded in 2004 by visionary Jeff O'Neill, the company has emerged as a true leader in environmental stewardship—proving that scale and sustainability can go hand in hand. O'Neill has earned some of the highest honors in the field, including B Corp Certification, Regenerative Organic Certified® status, and the prestigious Green Medal Leader Award from the California Wine Institute. These accolades reflect not only a deep commitment to regenerative farming and climate-smart practices, but also a bold vision for the future of wine and spirits. With winery estates in Sonoma and Paso Robles and a winery facility in Parlier, O'Neill's diverse portfolio includes Ram's Gate Winery, Robert Hall Winery, Line 39, Wines of Substance, FitVine Wine, Harken Chardonnay, Rabble Wine Company, Charles Woodson's Intercept, No. 209 Gin, and BrandyLab. To learn more, visit
