Luke Hemsley | Targeting Midweek Drinking Occasions With Wednesday's Domaine's Alcohol-Free Wine | 099

Join The Maffeo Drinks Substack for Episode Analysis! In this Episode, Host Chris Maffeo talks to Luke Hemsley, founder of Wednesday's Domaine, who discusses how his alcohol-free wine brand addresses the twin challenges of awareness and appreciation in an emerging category. Unlike beer and spirits, which have made significant inroads in the alcohol-free space, wine has lagged due to historical quality issues and consumer skepticism. Rather than positioning against alcohol, Wednesday's Domaine focuses on creating a midweek wine alternative for food and drink lovers who might occasionally want the ritual of wine without its effects. Luke shares insights on their strategic focus on the off-trade (particularly independent retailers), creating a geographic concentration in specific neighborhoods, and making their product stand out on shelves without sacrificing sophistication. The conversation explores how on-trade and off-trade create a circular relationship that builds category credibility, the pricing psychology of alcohol-free alternatives, and the founder's journey of knowing when to delegate versus when personal passion is irreplaceable. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and welcome 01:25 Initial connections and origin story 03:10 Awareness and appreciation challenges 07:40 Positioning as midweek alternative 11:05 Consumers' relationship with alcohol-free options 15:30 Psychology of non-alcoholic choices 20:45 On-trade vs. off-trade strategy 26:20 Pricing and value perception 30:10 Independent retail and geographic focus 35:05 Product visibility challenges 38:40 Founder's journey and scaling 42:30 Final thoughts and contact information This Episode is hosted by Chris Maffeo and brought to you by MAFFEO DRINKS. MAFFEO DRINKS is a leading drinks business podcast, listened to in 120 countries with 130+ episodes. How the industry actually works, from the bar and what it means for the boardroom. Wanna know what the conversation above means for your team? It's in the paid section. You get access to Maffeo Confidential (Private Podcast), this analysis, and the full catalog of 130+ episodes, each one translating industry conversation into the commercial decisions underneath it. Find out more at maffeodrinks.com or on Substack.