Taste Of Our Model
Our franchise helps people start up complete wineries in a retail space that ranges from 2, 500 – 4, 000 square feet. Think of it as a “micro-winery.”
The difference between a Waters Edge Winery and a traditional winery is that we do not grow or crush the grapes – we outsource those functions to a global network of vineyards and growers. This lowers the cost of ownership, and removes the biggest risk associated with most wineries.
Actual wine production is done onsite. A Waters Edge Winery® makes several wines that are exclusive to our winery locations. We make many of the popular varietals, including Merlots, Cabs and Chardonnays. We also make some harder-to-find wines such as Barolos, Gewurztraminers, Pinotages, Petit Verdot and Ports. We source grapes globally that will allow you to make over 50 different kinds of wine using grapes from the best grape growing regions in the world. Places such as California, Italy, France, New Zealand, Chile and Germany.
We also offer a lineup of wines that are found nowhere else and add to the spectrum of tastes for our guests. These include fun wines such as our popular Peach Apricot Chardonnay and Cranberry Malbec. These wines are easy for nearly everyone to enjoy – low in alcohol and slightly off-dry.
In addition to wine sales by the bottle and glass, a Waters Edge Winery® also offers the following:
- Bistro-style Appetizers and Desserts
- Custom Labeling
- Labeling Parties
- Wine Club
- Private Parties and Events
We believe that wine is meant to go with food. And our guests will linger in our wineries longer if they have food readily available. Waters Edge has a partnership with Boar’s Head Brands to offer a light menu which includes tapas, Panini-style sandwiches, flatbread pizzas, artisan cheeses and fruits, as well as delicious desserts.
Watch how our wineries work!
Why Us?
Waters Edge Wineries® is an urban winery system that brings the very best of wine culture to communities across the country. Combining elements of the traditional winemaking experience with the emerging wine bar concept, Waters Edge creates a diverse selection of wines and offers guests an opportunity to engage intimately with a historically exclusive lifestyle. As it seeks to bring the winery experience to the people, Waters Edge Wineries® presents an innovative, versatile concept that treats guests to quality wines, a relaxing atmosphere, and a cultural experience like no other.
Highlights
The Waters Edge team provides complete support from site location and lease negotiation to grand opening. We partner with a nationwide construction firm who will design your location and solicit bids from local, reputable contractors. Our construction firm will oversee the buildout to ensure that it is done on time and on budget.
We have made the art of winemaking into a simple four-step process anyone can learn. We are experts at helping you market the wine to your local community by focusing on generating revenue from five different categories. Your winery location will be unique in your community. No similar model exists that combines all five of these categories to help you stand out from any competition.
Your wines will be crafted using our tried & true recipes that produce consistently high-quality vino. We provide all the necessary equipment your location will require to make wine efficiently as well as operate a low-overhead kitchen for the bistro. Waters Edge offers our franchisees a monthly newsletter to keep you up to date on developments and techniques to help your winery grow. You are invited to join a monthly conference call to share ideas and promote growth. We also host a biennial franchise meeting to gather and learn together.
Support & Training
You will receive comprehensive training from us.We will provide you with pre-opening training courses, both hands-on and classroom based, to help you prepare for opening for business. We’ll also provide training and documentation on how to run our micro-winery tank system, plus ongoing support and refresher training as needed. And, you’ll have access to confidential operational documents and manuals to help guide your daily winery business functions efficiently. Our team of experts will provide on-going support to ensure the success of your business.
Available States
Both our Waters Edge Winery® or our Affiliate programs are available in most states. In each model, we retain all of the features of our franchise model; however, we will allow our Affiliates to use their own approved name for their winery.
The most significant difference is that our Affiliates will be responsible for their own winery’s advertising and marketing in their local areas. Note that as of April 1, 2019 all future locations will be branded as a Waters Edge Winery. We no longer offer the Affiliate option.
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Start Your Winery
1. Introduction
Introductory call – get to know you and understand what kind of business you want. Are we a good fit for your dreams?
2: Site visit to one of our wineries
Visit one of our wineries – if possible we like to do this early in the process since our model is unique. It makes our conversations more productive if you’ve had a chance to see one of our franchises in operation.
3: Get to Know Your Market
Getting to know your market – we offer tools and guidance to help know more about the demographics in your market versus our benchmarks. You may want to start to look for spaces that are appropriate for our model, and get an idea on market rents.
4: Business Planning
Financial planning – begin to develop a business plan and also determine how you’ll fund your new business. Click here to find out what kind of financing options you may qualify for.
5: Getting to Know the FDD
Detailed FDD review – we will review the details of our expectations and the agreement between us to make sure you’re comfortable how our model works.
6: Deposit, more information & Second Site Visit
Deposit and corporate visit – We would request a franchise deposit and invite you to visit to our corporate headquarters in Southern California. We will also visit your local area and help negotiate leases and finalize a location.
7: Franchise Agreement & Final Balance Settlement
Finalize the franchise agreement and get started opening a new winery in your town!