In this episode of The Growth Edit Podcast, James Sheerin sits down with Katherine Jones, Founder of Think Wine Group, to uncover the real story behind building a profitable DTC wine brand.
From launching a low-sugar sparkling wine during lockdown to innovating with canned wine, influencer marketing strategies, and sustainable growth, Katherine shares actionable insights for founders, marketers, and e-commerce operators.
Learn how to scale an alcohol brand in a highly regulated industry, bootstrap successfully, and stand out in a crowded market, all while defining growth heading into 2026.
What you’ll discover in this episode:
– How Katherine’s influencer marketing background fuelled Think Wine’s early growth
– Sourcing vineyards and creating a proprietary wine brand
– The game-changing power of canned wine
– Realities of bootstrapping and profitability in DTC alcohol
– Multi-channel e-commerce strategy: website, Amazon, DrinkWell
– Paid ads, influencer ROI, and marketing lessons for 2026
Timestamps:
00:00 – Welcome to The Growth Edit Podcast
00:30 – Introducing Think Wine Group and Katherine Jones
01:00 – What makes Think Wine different: low-sugar premium sparkling wine
02:45 – Influencer marketing background and early e-commerce growth
04:45 – Why Katherine built her own product brand
06:40 – Sourcing vineyards in Italy and creating a proprietary wine
10:00 – Branding strategy and the true cost of alcohol production
12:10 – Launching during lockdown and early growth challenges
14:45 – Why canned wine changed the business
16:20 – Sales channels: website, Amazon, DrinkWell
19:20 – Influencer marketing ROI then vs now
21:10 – Paid ads: Meta, Google, Amazon performance
22:30 – Defining growth heading into 2026
24:20 – Standing out in a crowded canned wine market
26:10 – Team structure, regional growth, and London expansion
28:00 – 0% alcohol trends and future concerns
29:20 – Where to buy Think Wine and final thoughts
Follow Katherine & Think Wine:
www.instagram.com/thinkwinegroup
www.instagram.com/thinkwineonwheels
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-jones-638682a0/
www.thinkwinegroup.co.uk
www.instagram.com/wearesocialnation
💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments! What’s your favourite DTC growth strategy?
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