A fresh discovery
Pix.wine is a content-led and free innovation for an industry that has been shy to embrace digital opportunities.
New digital tools for helping people discover and buy wine have been launched in the United States, with plans to expand into the UK and then other English-language nations.
Pix launched an online wine magazine named The Drop in early June 2021 and will soon offer a web site plus an app. Its aim is to connect buyers with sellers through a neutral platform where people can share information.
The name is a word-play on the notion of picking wine. More details can be found via its Twitter feed.
CEO Paul Mabray noted that the Covid-19 pandemic had changed consumer behaviour and attitude, describing it as a “great awakening for wine”.
He emphasised that content would be a “major pillar” of Pix’s offerings. In recent months the company has hired noted digital wine specialists Felicity Carter, Erica Duecy, Meg Maker and Leslie Yake.
The site will publish content from wine writers, a positive situation given the shortage of outlets for wine journalism noted in an earlier article.
Felicity Carter joined as executive editor and is responsible for overseeing content development. Most recently she was editor-in-chief of Meininger’s Wine Business International, the trade magazine read in more than 30 countries.
Erica Duecy is an editor and chief content officer. In a previous life she worked at VinePair and SevenFifty Daily.
Meg Maker is recognised in the wine trade for her journalism and photography, but she has also established a reputation for expertise in analytics and e-commerce. She joins as content project manager.
Leslie Yake has more than two decades of experience in e-commerce development, and will be vice president of product.
CEO Paul Mabray emphasised the wide separation “between Church and State” in the sense that recommendations would be based on the quality of the wine, not paid sponsorship.
Mabray has been involved with some of the major digital developments in America’s wine industry. He worked with WineShopper.com and Wine.com when they entered the wine-digital space.
Earlier Mabray founded two companies that changed the American wine landscape, initially by introducing winery e-commerce with Inertia Beverage Group (it became WineDirect.com) and later developing social media relationship management with VinTank.com.
Pix is based in Napa in California. It has a range of financial backers.
Pix is a welcome combination of technology and wine in an industry that has tended to be shy when it comes to digital innovation. You can read Mabray’s thoughts at his Substack site Transforming Wine. Below he talks about expansion plans.