Austin, TX – Ambiente Opco, LLC (“Ambiente” or the “Company”), one of the largest and fastest- growing wine distributors in Texas, today announced the appointment of Greg Cataldo to President and Chief Operating Officer (“COO”). Mr. Cataldo will be based in Austin, Texas and will help lead the Company’s efforts to build on its strong foundation to enhance Ambiente’s wine portfolio and market position in Texas.
Current Ambiente COO, Scott Richey, will transition executive responsibilities to Mr. Cataldo. Mr. Richey will be taking on a newly created executive role within the Company to assist in the execution of Ambiente’s acquisition pipeline.
In recent years, Ambiente has complemented its existing leadership team with executives from its acquisitions, notably Jeroboam Fine Wine and Hops & Vines Distributing. Mr. Cataldo’s experience of driving growth and building portfolios at other wine distributors will further accelerate Ambiente’s growth and impact in Texas.
Most recently, Mr. Cataldo was Senior Vice President and the top non-owner executive at Serendipity Wines in Texas. During his tenure as Senior Vince President, Mr. Cataldo significantly grew Serendipity’s revenue in Texas and was the architect in rapidly expanding its portfolio and brand management team. Prior to Serendipity, Mr. Cataldo led strategic units and teams within Glazer’s Domaines & Estates Division in Texas.
Prior to Glazer’s, Mr. Cataldo served in the United States Army, where he was an Armor Crewmember that deployed and served in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm during the Gulf War. He holds a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from the University of Texas at Austin. Mr. Cataldo is a Certified Specialist of Wine and a Level One Master Sommelier.
“Greg’s experience of driving growth, forming partnerships, and building brands makes him an ideal fit to lead Ambiente,” said Joseph Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of Ambiente. “I am confident that he’ll take Ambiente to the next phase of its corporate evolution and look forward to working alongside him.”
“Ambiente is at an exciting time in its history and evolution where it has the scale and team to become the leading independent distributor in the state. It is uniquely positioned to grow organically with its professional sales team as well as build on its track record of acquisitions in Texas,” said Mr. Cataldo. “I’m very excited to work alongside the entire Ambiente team as we endeavor to take the Company to even greater success.”
About Ambiente
Founded in 1989, Ambiente Opco, LLC (“Ambiente”) is one of the largest value-added distributors of fine wines in the State of Texas. Headquartered in Austin with three additional distribution centers in San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston, Ambiente has a comprehensive product portfolio of over 1,200 wines from leading estates in the United States, Italy, France, and nine other countries. Ambiente has become the premier distributor in Texas for supplying fine wine to retailers, high- end restaurants, premium supermarkets, luxury hotels, and 5-star resorts across the state. For more information, please visit www.ambientewine.com.
