How Kevin Meller Is Disrupting the RTD Market with Cali Beverages

In this episode of the Whisky Wealth Warrior podcast, host Glen Palmer sits down with Kevin Meller, CEO of Cali Beverages — a bold new ready-to-drink (RTD) brand aiming to shake up a crowded market with fresh thinking, real ingredients, and standout branding. Kevin shares how his background in hospitality, wine, and customer experience shaped his approach to building a drinks brand that prioritises fun, accessibility, and connection over industry pretension. The conversation explores: Why the RTD market is booming — and how to stand out The problem with traditional wine culture and how to break it Building a brand that creates emotion, experience, and “noise” The power of scent, packaging, and in-store experience Why partnerships and brand alignment matter more than ever Scaling strategies: deep vs wide market penetration Kevin also discusses the upcoming launch of Cali Beverages across Total Wine and BevMo stores in California, and how they plan to build strong local brand loyalty before expanding further.  This episode is ideal for entrepreneurs, drinks industry professionals, and investors looking to understand what it really takes to build and launch a standout brand in today’s competitive market.           Connect with Kevin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-mellor-59b6ab151/ Follow Cali Beverages (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/company/calibeverages/ Connect With Glen:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-palmer-online/ If you’ve ever wondered whether whisky could be something you own, grow, and monetise — not just drink — you can download a free guide here: https://whiskywealthmastery.com/free to get started on your whisky investment journey.