
410: How can a bottle of wine become the invitation for Come Over October? John Boynton, CEO of Arterra Wines Canada, shares his insights
Unreserved Wine TalkShow Notes
How can a bottle of wine become the invitation, slow down the moment, and create space for real conversation? Why does the wine industry need to look beyond wine itself to win back consumers? How can wine become more relevant to younger consumers? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with John Boynton. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.
Highlights Why does John believe wine can help combat the growing problem of loneliness? What makes wine uniquely suited to slowing us down and creating deeper face-to-face connections? How can a bottle of wine serve as both the invitation and the excuse to spend time together? What did the first year of Come Over October reveal about people's desire for more meaningful connection? Why does John believe wine forces us to be more present in an increasingly digital world? How did Come Over October change the way John prioritizes time with his own friends and family? Why are younger drinkers consuming less wine? What does the wine industry need to understand about the pre-party occasion? Why did Arterra create a bold, 16% alcohol flavoured wine? How much of wine's decline is being driven by affordability versus moderation and changing lifestyles? Why does John think the wine industry needs to stop looking at other wine brands for inspiration? What can trends like zero sugar teach the wine industry about reinventing itself for today's consumer?
About John Boynton John Boynton is the President of Arterra Wines Canada. He oversees the domestic and international sales, marketing and operations of Canada's leading wine company. John joined the company in 2022 from NordStar (parent company of Torstar) where he held the role of Vice Chair and President of Digital. He was previously the President and CEO of Torstar and Publisher of The Toronto Star. John is an experienced CEO with a proven track record of helping companies transform and grow – successfully turning strategy into action. He leads his teams in a way that aligns to our purpose and values, focusing on teamwork and collaboration. Throughout his 35-year career, John has worked in Sales, Marketing and Operations – for many different industries. He has experience in building both customer and direct-to-consumer relationships as well as in mobile, digital, data and ecommerce. A Canadian, John has lived and worked in Canada, the US and Europe.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/410.
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