Exclusive: Bronco Wine Co. Names Food and Beverage Veteran Dom Engels As CEO

California-based Bronco Wine Co. has appointed food and beverage industry veteran Dom Engels as chief executive. Engels succeeds Daniel Leonard, who is retiring after more than 38 years with Bronco. Leonard helped lead the company after the passing of co-founder Fred T. Franzia in late 2022.

“Bronco Wine Co. has a rich tradition of creating wines spanning a broad range of price points,” Engels told SND. “As the wine industry experiences consumption and consumer relevance challenges, I believe Bronco is well-positioned to draw on its portfolio breadth and vertical winemaking to be distinctly effective in meeting these challenges head on. The next several years are really important for our industry and we will continue to innovate to be successful in this new world order.”

According to Impact Databank, Bronco ranked as the 15th-largest wine marketer in the U.S. last year with volume of 3 million cases. Key brands in the range include Charles Shaw at 600,000 cases, Crane Lake at 275,000 cases, Redwood Vineyards and Coastal Vines both at 200,000 cases, and Salmon Creek at 110,000 cases, as well as focus labels like Rosenblum Cellars, Carmenet, Picket Fence, and Longevity Wines.

Engels served as CEO of California craft beer player Stone Brewing for four years, and prior to that spent 12 years with The Wonderful Company, whose portfolio includes wine brands like Justin, Landmark Vineyards, and Lewis Cellars. Most recently he was CEO at Revolution Foods.

“I have 30 years of professional experience in consumer products and retail, with the last 20 spent serving families and founders in the food and beverage space, including brands like Stone Brewing, Wonderful Pistachios, and POM Wonderful,” Engels noted. “I have led organizations through periods of growth and transformation amidst challenging category and consumption dynamics. I’m looking forward to digging in at Bronco and bringing all of my prior experience to bear.”

“The wine industry is undergoing a massive shift right now, and as a company we need to continue to innovate across all facets of our business,” added Bronco chairman Michael Franzia. “The addition of Dom will help ensure we can meet consumers on their wine journey, be a leader in sustainability, and continue delivering the highest quality wines for every occasion.”—Daniel Marsteller

Tagged : Bronco Wine Co., Charles Shaw, Crane Lake, Franzia

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