Episode 99

099 | Luke Hemsley | Targeting Midweek Drinking Occasions With Wednesday's Domaine's Alcohol-Free Wine

In this Episode, Host Chris Maffeo talks to Luke Hemsley, founder of Wednesday's Domaine, who discusses how his alcohol-free wine brand addresses the twin challenges of awareness and appreciation in an emerging category.

Unlike beer and spirits, which have made significant inroads in the alcohol-free space, wine has lagged due to historical quality issues and consumer skepticism.

Rather than positioning against alcohol, Wednesday's Domaine focuses on creating a midweek wine alternative for food and drink lovers who might occasionally want the ritual of wine without its effects. Luke shares insights on their strategic focus on the off-trade (particularly independent retailers), creating a geographic concentration in specific neighborhoods, and making their product stand out on shelves without sacrificing sophistication.

The conversation explores how on-trade and off-trade create a circular relationship that builds category credibility, the pricing psychology of alcohol-free alternatives, and the founder's journey of knowing when to delegate versus when personal passion is irreplaceable.

Timestamps:

  • 00:00 Introduction and welcome

  • 01:25 Initial connections and origin story

  • 03:10 Awareness and appreciation challenges

  • 07:40 Positioning as midweek alternative

  • 11:05 Consumers' relationship with alcohol-free options

  • 15:30 Psychology of non-alcoholic choices

  • 20:45 On-trade vs. off-trade strategy

  • 26:20 Pricing and value perception

  • 30:10 Independent retail and geographic focus

  • 35:05 Product visibility challenges

  • 38:40 Founder's journey and scaling

  • 42:30 Final thoughts and contact information


    • Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

    About the Podcast

    Show artwork for The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast
    The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast
    Brands Are Built Bottom-up.

    Listen for free

    About your host

    Profile picture for Chris Maffeo

    Chris Maffeo

    With 20 years of experience working for some of the biggest drinks brands across 30+ markets, I've developed a unique understanding of how brands grow in today's market.
    Now, I help drinks brands build sustainable growth through bottom-up demand creation.
    My methodology focuses on how brand demand spreads - from initial venue adoption to international expansion.
    I teach brands how to create, convert, and sustain demand across the three critical stages of growth: from one bottle to one case to one pallet.
    My expertise lies in understanding how brands grow through genuine advocacy, from bar to bar, city to city, and building foundations that enable natural scaling.
    Through consulting, training, and speaking engagements, I help brands:
    • Build sustainable demand from the ground up
    • Systematize their approach to building brands city by city
    • Navigate the path from local success to international growth
    • Develop strategies based on occasions rather than demographics