How do you repair an industry that’s steadily lost relevance with younger consumers? If you’re the founders of Wonderwerk, you go where they live and breathe – and throw a party.
Founded in 2017 by longtime friends Issamu Kamide and Andrew Lardy, Wonderwerk was built around a simple idea: make wine that speaks to how millennial and Gen Z consumers actually drink. Now, following a national relaunch and with a growing portfolio of flavor-forward natural wines, Issamu joins us to share how Wonderwerk has challenged category conventions, used culture and community to build the brand, and turned consumer behavior into a roadmap for innovation.
Show notes:
0:20: Issamu Kamide, Co-Founder, Wonderwerk – On location in San Francisco, Issamu discusses the brand’s origins at a Los Angeles rave and Wonderwerk’s focus on flavor-forward wines, playful packaging and one-liter bottles. He explores what wine can learn from craft beer, RTDs and brands such as Fishwife and Graza, the opportunity he sees between BuzzBallz and Caymus, and Wonderwerk’s $20–25 price sweet spot. Issamu also discusses the company’s music festival and event strategy, including its participation in 10–20 events per month, and how direct consumer engagement informs product development. He explains the thinking behind the brand’s “Big Orange” wine and why Wonderwerk focuses less on ratings and appellations and more on whether a wine looks good, tastes good and is affordable. Issamu closes with Wonderwerk’s recent growth, including nearly 40% year-over-year growth, and his perspective on the future of natural wine and the need for wine brands to better understand changing consumer culture.
Brands in this episode: Wonderwerk, Fishwife, Graza, BuzzBallz, Caymus
