Andréa McBride John (born 1982/1983) is a New Zealand-American entrepreneur. She is the co-founder and CEO of McBride Sisters Wine Company.

Andréa McBride John
Born1982 or 1983 (age 40–41)[1][2]
Los Angeles, United States
CitizenshipNew Zealand
United States of America
Alma materUniversity of Southern California
Known forMcBride Sisters Wine Company
Spouse
Fabian John
(m. 2017)

Early life and education

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Andréa McBride was born in Los Angeles to an African-American father from Camden, Alabama and a Scottish-New Zealand mother from Napier, Hawke's Bay.[3][1] When she was 6 years old, she and her mother moved to the town of Blenheim, where her maternal grandparents and uncle lived. Her mother died soon after their arrival.[2][4]

She was then primarily raised by her foster mother Diana Peri, and additionally her maternal uncle who was a wine grape farmer.

When she was 12 years old, she got a call from her father, Kelly McBride, who first told her about her half-sister, Robin, and that the McBride family was trying to find and locate her. Andréa would eventually meet Robin, who was raised by her mother in Monterey, California, for the first time, 5 years later at the LaGuardia Airport.[5][6] Her father died before they could meet.[7]

After completing high school at Avondale College in Aotearoa New Zealand,[citation needed] McBride received a fully-funded athletic scholarship for Track & Field as a Javelin thrower and Volleyball player at the University of Southern California.[8] She graduated with a bachelor's degree in international relations with concentration in global business in 2007.[9][10]

Career

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McBride along with her sister Robin, are wine industry entrepreneurs and have ventured into multiple businesses. In 2005, they founded their first business and became a licensed U.S. Federal Wine importing company. When they first started their company, they only imported a small number of Aotearoa New Zealand wines, and eventually became a licensed California wine distributor serving independent wine retailers and fine-dining restaurants.[3][11]

In 2009, they founded eco.love Wines from Aotearoa New Zealand making their first wine vintage together. The brand focused on oceanic, coastal, sustainable and carbon zero wines from vineyards in Marlborough.[12][13][14] They produced Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling & Pinot Noir.[15]

In 2013, they established McBride Sisters Truvée, making oceanic, coastal, sustainable wines from the San Luis Obispo, California that was formed in partnership with Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines.[16][17] The partnership ended with Diageo Chateau & Estates in 2016.

Andréa is also a member of the Wine Institute and the Women of the Vine & Spirits organization, which promotes the advancement of women in the industry.[18]

McBride Sisters Wine Company

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In 2017, the McBride sisters combined their businesses as the McBride Sisters Wine Company.[3][19] They produce wine across two hemispheres, from premier oceanic, coastal winemaking regions which are at the root of the McBride Sisters story – where Andréa and Robin each grew up – in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Central Coast of California, in the United States. They offer a portfolio of brands; McBride Sisters Collection, Black Girl Magic Wines, and SHE CAN Wines and spritzers.[20][21] They specialize in sparkling wines, aromatic white wines, light-body red wines, medium body red wines and wine spritzers. The McBride Sisters Wine Company produces, imports and markets its own wines. It specializes in serving Fortune 500 grocery stores and mass retailers, as well as wine and spirits chains, hotels, restaurants, independent wine shops, sports arenas and airlines across all 50 states of the U.S, Caribbean and Canada.[22]

Personal life

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In 2017, McBride married her husband Fabian John.[23] In 2019, McBride gave birth to her daughter, Meursault McBride John.[24][25]

Philanthropy

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Andréa along with her sister Robin have participated in campaigns to promote diversity and inclusion in the wine industry.[26] They co-founded the McBride Sisters SHE CAN Fund to address the lack of diversity in the wine industry and support the professional development and advancement of all women in winemaking, hospitality, entrepreneurship and ownership positions.[27][28] The fund was launched in tandem with the McBride Sisters She Can Wine brand that contributes a portion of its sales to the fund.[29]

In 2022 The McBride Sisters co-hosted with New York chef JJ Johnson during the Aspen food and Wine Festival the "Black on Black Dinner". The event was also hosted by Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade, along with DLynne Proctor.[30] Ticket sales from the dinner provided scholarships to the Wine Unify organization.[31]

Awards and recognition

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In 2016, Pratt University honored her with the Creative Spirit Award.[32][33]

In 2019, she was named one of Wine Enthusiast's "40 Under 40 Tastemakers" [34] and was also honored by the James Beard Foundation as a "Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership" fellow.[citation needed]

In 2023, she and her sister Robin were named in the Ebony Power 100 Dynamic Business Duo Award.[35]

References

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  1. ^ a b "McBride Sisters Collection Combines Passion for Wine and the Environment – Cuisine Noir Magazine". 31 March 2018. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Winemaker Andréa McBride's Perfect Pairing – News, Style, Wine". NZEDGE. 29 January 2017. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  3. ^ a b c Worobiec, MaryAnn (27 October 2020). "Wine's Dynamo Sister Team". Wine Spectator. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  4. ^ Effinger, Shannon (19 March 2021). "Meet the Sisters Behind One of the Wine Industry's Most Exciting Companies". Fodors Travel Guide. Archived from the original on 26 January 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  5. ^ "The Fairy-Tale-Like Reunion Story Behind The Largest Black-Owned Wine Company, McBride Sisters". Black Enterprise. 8 April 2022. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  6. ^ Selasky, Susan. "A father's dying wish brings these sisters together". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Long-lost sisters break into male-dominated wine business". www.cbsnews.com. Archived from the original on 26 January 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Sisters of the Vine". MaryAnnDeSantis.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  9. ^ Helm, Angela Bronner (6 June 2016). "These 2 Long-Lost Sisters Make Their Own Wine. Care for a Sip?". The Root. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  10. ^ Pina, Tanisha. "These Long-Lost Sisters Are Navigating The Wine Industry As Black Women — & Winning". www.refinery29.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  11. ^ "From Marlborough to Monterey: How Separated Sisters Found Each Other Through Wine". AFAR Media. 9 May 2016. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  12. ^ "Family and wine go together for these Black-owned businesses (#winePW)". My Full Wine Glass. 13 February 2021. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  13. ^ "Víťazský tím sestry Dynamo – Čierne Hlasy". wilson-drinks-report.com (in Slovak). Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  14. ^ Wilson, Wendy L. (27 October 2020). "Toast To Sisterhood: How These Sisters Turned A Shared Passion Into Profit". Essence. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  15. ^ "McBride Sisters Wine (Part 2 of 2): Robin McBride and Andréa McBride John". npr.org. 26 October 2020. Archived from the original on 26 January 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  16. ^ "McBride Sisters Create Wine for the New World with Truvée – Cuisine Noir Magazine". 28 August 2015. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  17. ^ "Wine Wednesday: Introducing Truvée by the McBride Sisters". ftdc-test.hapatite.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  18. ^ Desk, Lioness News (25 November 2019). "McBride Sisters Collection Shifts The Wine Industry Narrative With Its First Annual SHE CAN Professional Development Fund". Lioness Magazine. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  19. ^ "Black-owned McBride Sisters Wine Company". www.bloomberg.com. Archived from the original on 5 December 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  20. ^ Pringle, McKenna (9 February 2023). "Our Favorite Black-Owned Businesses and Brands to Shop Now and Always". The Everymom. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  21. ^ Boorstin, Sharon (19 September 2021). "When it comes to canned wine, these sisters love to break the rules". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  22. ^ Caputo, Tina (21 June 2022). "Get to Know the Many Black-Owned Wineries in California | Visit California". www.visitcalifornia.com. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  23. ^ Rafkin, Louise (20 January 2017). "New Zealand-born winemaker, wealth adviser a perfect pairing". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  24. ^ "Pedro John | Lyndhurst Funeral Home Barbados". lyndhurstfuneralhome.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  25. ^ "Black Creators: The McBride Sisters beginnen aan een nieuw hoofdstuk – Zwarte Makers". dut.beiranossa.pt (in Dutch). Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  26. ^ Wilson, Kimberly (4 November 2020). "McBride Sisters Launch #SheCanThrive2020 Grant To Help Black Women Business Owners". Essence. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  27. ^ Richardson, Randi (9 April 2022). "After meeting 17 years ago, sisters now helm the country's largest Black-owned wine brand". NBC News. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  28. ^ "Women at Work". www.oregonwinepress.com. Archived from the original on 24 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  29. ^ Hunter, Sanestina (7 January 2022). "SU Ag Center, College receives $50K from McBride Sisters Collection wines". BRProud.com. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  30. ^ Gould, Jennifer (22 June 2022). "Carmelo Anthony uncorks his new wine label in Aspen". Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  31. ^ "Aspen's Hotel Jerome, Will Host Exclusive Gastronomic Events And Partnerships Around Aspen Food & Wine Classic". www.snowindustrynews.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  32. ^ "26th Annual Celebration of the Creative Spirit Scholarship Benefit Gala". Pratt Institute. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  33. ^ "Black Alumni of Pratt Celebrates Creative Spirit at Annual Benefit Gala". Pratt Institute. 6 June 2022. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  34. ^ Enthusiast, Wine. "Top 40 Under 40 Tastemakers of 2019". Wine Enthusiast. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  35. ^ #teamEBONY (20 September 2022). "Introducing EBONY'S 2022 Power 100 List and Gala". Ebony. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2023.