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Welcome to the DTC Podcast with Sarah Hoffman of Maker Wine — a deep dive into how Maker is rewriting the rules for wine. We cover:

✅ Addressing canned-wine stigma with quality-first sourcing

✅ Virtual tastings as a viral DTC engine

✅ Omni-channel scaling from club to airlines

✅ Smart SEO and content strategy for brand discovery

Key Takeaways:

Premium sourcing & format matters – quality wine in cans changes perception
Storytelling + education – QR codes, tasting notes, videos build trust
Subscription evolution – customizable, exclusive member benefits
Distribution edge – club sales, wholesale rollout, United partnership
Content & community – blogs and events build brand and SEO cred

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Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction & Maker Wine’s Omnichannel Pivot

02:00 From Beer to Wine: Sarah’s Founder Story

06:00 Why Most Canned Wine Fails (And How Maker Does It Differently)

10:58 Virtual Tastings as a Growth Engine

16:59 From DTC to United Airlines: Maker’s Distribution Strategy

22:55 Retail Marketing & Wine Club Strategy

27:00 SEO, Creator Partnerships & Low Sugar Positioning

32:50 Expansion Plans & NBA Arena Partnerships

35:00 How Maker Showcases Diverse Winemakers

Hashtags:

#dtcpodcast

#makerwine

#cannedwine

#directtoconsumer

#founderstory

#beveragestartup

#wineclub

#virtualtasting

#retailstrategy

#seoformarketers

#ecommercestrategy

#winebranding

#femaleentrepreneurs

#omnichannelmarketing

#independentwinemakers

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Ep 527: How Sarah Hoffman Turned Maker Wine into a Canned Wine Brand You’ll See on United Flights and NBA Stadiums

DTC Podcast