They’re empowering the next generation!
Sisters Andréa and Robin McBride are the owners of the largest Black-owned wine company in the country, Black Girl Magic Wine, PR Newswire reports. Their collection features a variety of Rose, Riesling, and Red blend wines as well as a selection of canned wines entitled She Can. The wine has become popular with consumers and has even boosted sales for small business owners carrying the brand. One Black-owned 7-11 franchise owner in Texas reported its highest sales to date in 2020 after stocking up on the brand.
In 2019, The McBride Sisters Wine Company launched their SHE CAN Fund, dedicated to investing in the success of women interested in “master[ing] the business of wine” and closing the gender and race gap in the industry. To date, the fund has given more than $3 million towards the “professional development and career growth of… professional women working in male-dominated industries, with a particular focus on women of color.” Now they have opened applications for their 2023 fund, encouraging women entrepreneurs and those seeking leadership positions in the wine and spirits industry to apply for one of their three scholarships.
Potential grantees can apply to receive funding in one of three areas, including Sommelier Certification, WSET Certification, and Business of Wine Education course completion. The SHE CAN Fund will also present 30 women with membership to the 510media’s Hope Academy, an organization focused on empowering Black entrepreneurs by addressing resource gaps through mentorship and training. The organization helps to address specific economic challenges impacting Black entrepreneurs in addition to the regular challenges faced by business owners.
“I’m very excited to announce this year’s Fund focus on the business of wine. This area is where my sister Andréa and I can lend most of our personal expertise to professional women and students entering the wine industry. Our experience building our business from the ground up and touching every aspect of the wine business hands-on gives us the ability to showcase how broad the wine industry is and how to lead from within it,” said Robin McBride.
Thus far, the SHE CAN Fund has granted more than 30 wine education scholarships and boasts a national database of more than 6,000 professional women. The organization has also donated $100,000 to Southern University’s College of Agriculture as an extension of its commitment to supporting the next generation of wine industry talent at HBCUs.
To learn more about the SHE CAN Fund and put in your application, apply at www.mcbridesistersfund.org. Applications close on June 15th.
Cover photo: The McBride Sisters announce 2023 “SHE CAN” Fund dedicated to supporting women interested in the wine industry/Photo Courtesy of SHE CAN Fund/@SheCanWines/Instagram