The Wine Business Consulting Group (WBC) provides business consulting services to the wine industry. WBC provides valuable business resources to industry participants while enhancing the academic experience for students.
Student consultants work on real-world business projects to develop solutions and client relationships. WBC also sponsors related events to build strong connections between students and professionals and to help educate students about the wine industry.
Since its inception in 2004, the Wine Business Consulting Group has completed six independent study projects for class credit. The first project was an organizational structure and strategy evaluation of Beringer Blass (now Fosters Wine Estates). In spring 2004 the consultants completed a marketing and optimization project for a small start-up winery in the Central Valley. In spring of 2005 the group worked on a distribution network evaluation under the guidance of the Professor Robert Smiley, the School's director of wine studies. During 2008 and 2009 the WBC conducted market research, and developed a marketing/branding and supply chain plan for Planet Earth Wines, a start-up wine importing company of South African wines. The WBC also developed a survey for X Winery and Amicus Cellars to send to their distributors in order to capture information about what motivates distributors to promote their wines.
In fall 2005 the Wine Business Consulting began teaching a wine appreciation program. This program has been specially tailored for MBA students to help them appreciate fine wine while dining out with business leaders. The class covers wine regions, varietals and how to order wine. UC Davis MBA students have learned about and tasted wines from California, France, Italy, Germany, and South Africa, among others. The WBC also organizes the annual Orientation Wine Tasting trip to the Napa Valley as well as winery visits throughout the year. In 2009 the Club hosted an alumni career panel, which brought past GSM students now working in the wine industry back to campus to talk about their experiences.
Interested in finding out more about Wine Business Consulting or joining our group? Feel free to contact one of our officers, or attend one of our events. We look forward to meeting you.
, Co-president
, Co-president
, Co-president