Traveling Vineyard facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Wine, direct sales |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Headquarters | |
| Services | Winery |
Traveling Vineyard is an American company that sells wine. It is based in Ipswich, Massachusetts. The company started in 2001. In 2010, Richard Libby bought the company and changed how it worked.
About 5,000 independent representatives help sell the wine. These people are called Wine Guides. They pay a one-time fee to join. In return, Traveling Vineyard sends them a "Success Kit." This kit has materials to help them learn about wine. It includes notes on different wines and what foods go well with them. The kit also has sample accessories, tasting glasses, and ten bottles of wine for their first events. Traveling Vineyard also helps them set up a website and offers training.
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How Traveling Vineyard Works
Traveling Vineyard is a member of the Direct Selling Association. This group makes sure its member companies follow fair rules. These rules protect both the independent salespeople and the customers. The company is also part of the Better Business Bureau. Traveling Vineyard uses a method called the party plan for selling its products. This means sales often happen at social gatherings.
Wine Tasting Events
Wine Guides connect with people they know to set up free wine tasting events at their homes. The Wine Guides help the hosts get ready for the event. Then, they present different wines to the guests. Guests can taste the wines and then decide if they want to order any. Wine Guides earn money from the sales they make to customers. They do not earn money based on how many new people they get to join their team.
Sommology: Pairing Food and Wine
In 2013, Traveling Vineyard started something called Sommology. Sommology is a special learning tool about pairing food and wine. It helps people understand which wines taste best with certain foods. This tool was created with the help of Eddie Osterland. He was the first Master Sommelier in America. A Master Sommelier is an expert in wine.
Company History
Traveling Vineyard began in 2001. In April 2010, the company faced financial difficulties. Later that year, in November 2010, Richard Libby and other investors bought the company. They restarted Traveling Vineyard. As of May 2017, Traveling Vineyard had more than 5,000 independent Wine Guides. These guides were located in 40 different states across the United States.
