Just Enough Wines overcoming ultra-competitive wine industry

More than 80% of winemakers may be men, but two women are working their way into the vineyard and the business.

It’s a whirlwind time for Jessica Hershfield and Kaitlyn Lo: Their wine label, Just Enough Wines, is starting to gain traction in the ultra-competitive industry, a huge achievement considering they are among the masses who pivoted to a new career during the pandemic.

“The pandemic made you really evaluate what’s important in your life,” Hershfield said.

Hershfield worked for some of the biggest names in tech, including Google and Uber.

“I always had the itch to start my own thing, and I wanted to find something I am passionate about,” she said.

Hershfield then joined forces with Lo to form Just Enough Wines.

“I think taking the leap and starting your own company is probably the scariest thing that anyone can do.”

“We made a point to partner with some industry professionals early on,” Lo said.

Next, they looked at how their brand could help solve a problem many were having during the pandemic: portion control.

“I would either open a bottle, and it would go bad and wasted a few days later, or drink too much, and so I wanted this built-in portion control, and so the cans are a glass and a half; they give you that perfect pour,” Hershfield said.

“That gave us an angle we could really establish ourselves,” Lo said.

Both women had to learn the business from the ground up—growing, harvesting, crushing, pressing, fermenting, and aging. It seemed overwhelming. Hershfield took it one step, one grape, at a time.

“Just doing one thing every day, whether it was just filing for your company, and slowly over time, these things add up, and you start to get momentum,” Hershfield said.

Their wines are in Total Wine and some supermarkets. Their goal: be the top-selling canned wine in the U.S.

“Changing careers for me was the best decision I ever made,” Hershfield said.

Each can sells for $6 to $12. Just Enough Wines is looking to expand its wholesale presence this year, adding new states, including Florida, Colorado, Texas, and Illinois.