The Premiere Centralized B2B Marketplace Creates Global Access to Diverse Suppliers
New York, NY – Mar. 30, 2023 – Diverse Powered Brands™ – a first-of-its-kind, centralized bev alc B2B global marketplace connecting diverse-owned, diverse-led and diverse-made brands to buyers, wholesalers, as well as supplier diversity procurement managers – launched today in New York with an invitation for qualified brands to sign-up for the beta version of the platform. With the goal of building equity across the bev alc supply chain, suppliers can present and manage their brand content and the buyer community can search these diverse beverage alcohol brands in one marketplace, helping to centralize the discovery and ordering process.
As an industry leader, entrepreneur, and Founder & CEO of Women of the Vine & Spirits, Deborah Brenner recognized an urgent need to break down barriers to enable industry access to diverse suppliers and brands around the globe. Brenner self-funded the venture and worked with a team of developers and designers to form Diverse Powered Brands.
“To level the playing field, it was clear that an innovative technology solution needed to be built,” said Brenner. “Our goal is to open the door for diverse brands who, up until now, have not had an entry point to the buyer and wholesaler community. The early response we are receiving across the three tiers confirms our sense of urgency to address the growing demand by socially conscious and diverse consumers to bring these brands to the shelf and to the table.”
The Diverse Powered Brands Marketplace is currently in beta testing with companies using the platform in their day-to-day business environment and providing feedback to the Diverse Powered Brands team. While in beta, suppliers that qualify as diverse-owned, diverse-led and/or diverse-made can sign up for early access to gain additional visibility as early adopters with their annual subscription not set to renew until September of 2024. Buyer and wholesaler access will become available in the weeks to come.
Attendees of WSWA’s 2023 Access LIVE! event in Orlando, FL can visit the Diverse Powered Brands’ suite located at HQ6 to speak with Brenner and her team while watching a demonstration of the Diverse Powered Brands platform. HQ6 will be open April 3rd and 4th, 2023.
About Diverse Powered Brands
Diverse Powered Brands™ is the premier centralized B2B global marketplace connecting diverse-owned, diverse-led and diverse-made brands to buyers, wholesalers, and supplier diversity managers across the entire beverage alcohol and hospitality industry. The company’s founder, Deborah Brenner, is also the Founder & CEO of Women of the Vine & Spirits® (WOTVS), an all-encompassing global membership organization dedicated to boldly pushing the wine, beer and spirits industry toward a more diverse, equitable and inclusive era that empowers all to succeed. Known for her entrepreneurial spirit and enthusiasm for social equality, Deborah is constantly strategizing and advocating for a more diverse, equitable and inclusive beverage alcohol industry. To learn more about Diverse Powered Brands, visit the company website at www.diversepoweredbrands.com and follow along on Instagram and Facebook.
Industry Quotes
Allied Beverage Group – Sara Harmelin, Vice President, Digital & Innovation
“Diverse Powered Brands is a game changer that will surely boost the sales of diverse brands in our portfolio. Never before has there been a centralized marketplace like this to empower our suppliers to tell their unique stories, our salespeople to drive growth, and buyers with the tool they have been needing to easily source diverse brands.”
Breakthru Beverage Group – Gus Bozzo, Executive Vice President, National Accounts
“As a wholesaler, Diverse Powered Brands is a great tool for us now to help our suppliers build their marketing and promotional approach around important attributes like appellation, origin, and scores, and to also go beyond that and address a much wider, more social level of importance for our consumers and our community.”
Brown-Forman – Annie Morrison, National Account Manager
“I think this is a valuable tool that will lead to greater visibility of our brands and increased consumer loyalty.”
Costco Wholesale – Chad Sokol, Vice President / General Merchandise Manager, Wine/Liquor
“We’ve had supplier diversity initiatives in place for quite a while, but they were pretty much focused on suppliers reaching out to Costco to be part of that program. Whereas Diverse Powered Brands is going to be such a great resource for our buyers to be proactive in looking out to the supplier base. This is going to put a lot more power in the hands of the buyers. It is going to be such a great tool.”
Diageo North America – Jeanine Dooley, Head of Inclusion & Diversity
“With Diverse Powered Brands Deborah is creating an opportunity to bring suppliers, wholesalers, and buyers together. She is ‘making space’ for diverse suppliers and brands to be discovered. I believe this change will drive collaboration across the industry and is exactly what consumers are looking for.”
J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines – Cynthia Lohr, Co-Owner / Chief Brand Officer
“We see that consumers want to align with brands they feel a deep affiliation with. Diverse Powered Brands mirrors our complexion as wine and spirits makers, owners, buyers, growers, ambassadors, and sellers. It is the first initiative of its kind to empower alcohol beverage decision-makers to purchase from brands they know will resonate with their audiences. This is the new face of the alcohol beverage industry, and we expect it will be widely embraced.”
LibDib – Cheryl Durzy, CEO
“LibDib is thrilled to partner with the Diverse Powered Brands Marketplace to provide our Makers with increased visibility to Buyers throughout the country. Deborah and her team have done an amazing job building relationships with businesses that want these brands. Just one customer lead is worth the annual fee. All brands with diversity in their heritage should be a part of this important platform.”
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits – Jennifer Chaplin Tolkin, Vice President, Family-Owned Brands
“Identifying and providing opportunities for diverse-owned brands is a top priority at Southern Glazer’s. In addition to our own initiatives, and those of many of our colleagues in the distributor, supplier and customer tiers, Diverse Powered Brands is one more fantastic tool in the toolbox of an industry working hard to uplift and empower entrepreneurial, diverse-owned brands to achieve their dreams of commercial success.”
