Ep 41: How Bread & Butter Turned Wine Anxiety Into a Growth Strategy With Caitlin Ward

Episode 41 • January 21, 2026 • 00:40:59
Ep 41: How Bread & Butter Turned Wine Anxiety Into a Growth Strategy With Caitlin Ward
Drinks Insider
Ep 41: How Bread & Butter Turned Wine Anxiety Into a Growth Strategy With Caitlin Ward

Jan 21 2026 | 00:40:59

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Hosted By

Felicity Carter

Show Notes

Bread & Butter is a rare bright spot in a category full of nervous wine producers. Caitlin Vartain Ward explains how the brand grew by treating wine as an easy everyday choice rather than a subject people must study. We talk through the origins of the Don't Overthink It campaign, the research behind a message that sounds obvious, and why understanding consumers matters more than heritage storytelling for attracting new drinkers.

She also challenges the panic narrative with what she actually sees in the data. Bread & Butter is not watching consumers race to the bottom on price in the US and she refuses to cheapen the brand to chase volume. We dig into why the $12 to $15 tier remains a sweet spot, why Chardonnay drinkers are unusually loyal, and why distinct packaging is so important when it comes to retail.

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