Nicky Coachman-Robinson, Frey Vineyards

Noticing that wine is not marketed equally in Black neighborhoods, and wine production in the United States has a long history of not being culturally diverse, Nicky Coachman-Robinson, president of Organic Wine Beer Consulting LLC in Florida, set about changing that.

He wanted to create a brand for his community that would share all the wonderful benefits of organic, biodynamic wine with no added sulfites, free of GMOs and animal products, and vegan and gluten-free.  He established Kwaya Cellars in 2019 in partnership with Frey Vineyards in Mendocino, California— longstanding friends and pioneers of organic wines in the US.

Kwaya sells three varietals. The Organic Merlot is a rich, robust sip with deep blackberry and plum flavors. The Organic Chardonnay is crisp and light with some honeyed sweetness on the finish, and the Organic Sangiovese is zesty and succulent with a spicy finish. 

Due to the steadfast work of Nicky and his daughter Milan, the brand has picked up promising momentum and can already be found on the shelves of Wholefoods and Fresh Markets in Florida and also in Natural Grocers chains along the west coast. 

A percentage of proceeds from sales of Kwaya wines is donated to Bridges of Hope, an organization that Coachman-Robinson holds dear.