Full Glass Wine Co. is ramping up its presence in the direct-to-consumer (DTC) wine market with the acquisitions of Wine Access and Cameron Hughes Wine. Announced this week, the deals mark the company’s sixth and seventh acquisitions in the past 17 months, strengthening its position as a top player in the DTC wine market.

Brands under Full Glass sell directly to consumers through online platforms, bypassing traditional retail and wholesale channels. They offer features like subscription plans, customizable wine cases and personalized recommendations powered by advanced analytics and AI. Meanwhile, perks such as free shipping and direct-to-door delivery add to the convenience.

With the latest additions, Full Glass Wine Co. said it projects its revenue to exceed $200 million by the end of 2025.

Full Glass Wine’s acquisitions and strategy to drive growth

Since launching in 2023, Full Glass has acquired seven leading DTC wine brands. Co-founders Neha Kumar, an investor and entrepreneur, and Louis Amoroso, an alcohol industry veteran, have steered the company’s expansion by capitalizing on the pandemic-driven boom in DTC wine demand. They’ve also taken advantage of consolidation opportunities as some brands struggled financially in the post-pandemic landscape.

Their strategy is direct: preserve each brand’s unique identity while leveraging operational efficiencies and features like data and technology to meet changing consumer tastes.

“We look for brands that bring a strong history of quality, expertise in wine discovery, and proven consumer loyalty,” Kumar, the chief operating officer of Full Glass, said in an email to Digital Commerce 360. “Additionally, we focus on companies that can complement and strengthen our direct-to-consumer model through technology, operational efficiencies, and curated offerings.”

Earlier this year, Full Glass raised $14 million in a Series A funding round to support its acquisition spree, positioning the company to achieve a $100 million revenue run rate by the end of this year, according to Kumar. She said Full Glass plans to close its next funding round in the first half of 2025.

Targeting a new generation of wine consumers

Full Glass’s latest acquisitions bring two notable DTC brands into its fold:

1. Wine Access: Based in Napa, California, Wine Access launched its online store in 2017. The platform says it connects shoppers with exclusive wines, often at major discounts, curated by industry experts with global connections.
2. Cameron Hughes Wine: Known for its relationships with top wineries, Cameron Hughes Wine says it offers premium wines at steep discounts, such as $100 Napa Cabernets for $30, by keeping the source winery undisclosed.

Additionally, Full Glass’s portfolio includes brands like Winc, Bright Cellars, Wine Insiders, Scout & Cellar and Splash Wines. Many of the brands appeal to younger, more diverse consumers — a relatively untapped market compared with older demographics who have traditionally consumed more wine.

Winc, for example, operates an online subscription-based platform with a “Palate Profile” quiz that matches shoppers with personalized wine recommendations. Customers can rate wines afterward to refine their future selections, making it a popular choice for newer wine enthusiasts. Splash Wines also offers subscription options along with curated wine cases; it also allows customers to customize their own cases of up to 18 bottles without requiring auto-enrollment.

DTC wine market shows resilience amid shifting trends

The DTC wine market has stabilized after experiencing rapid growth during the pandemic. In 2023, total shipment value reached $4.14 billion, according to WineBusiness Analytics and Sovos ShipCompliant. While shipment volume declined 6.5% year over year to 7.13 million cases, the channel remains 29% more valuable than in 2019, when shipment value totaled $3.22 billion.

Overall, DTC wine sales accounted for about 5% of total U.S. wine sales in 2023, according to Sovos, with the segment proving to be one of the wine industry’s most resilient. Higher-priced wines drove much of the growth, with shipments of wines priced over $50 seeing gains in both value and volume.

Looking ahead, the 2024 Silicon Valley Bank Wine Report predicts modest growth for DTC wine sales this year, with the positive trend set to continue into 2025.

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