The Polis Administration and the Global Business Development Division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced today that the direct to consumer winery Naked Wines has selected Denver, Colorado for its second headquarters. Today is national wine day.
Naked Wines’ direct-to-consumer wine subscription service has earned a reputation for disrupting the wine club model by connecting consumers directly to independent winemakers through crowdfunding and offering savings up to 60 percent per bottle. Expanding the brand’s presence to Denver will allow Naked Wines to tap into a strong workforce with expertise in data analytics, marketing, and engineering while providing employees with a high quality of life at a lower cost of living than the Bay Area.
“Some of the best workers in the nation call Colorado home because of our unparalleled quality of life and the access to high-quality jobs and professional career development. Naked Wines recognizes the value of our workforce, our positive business environment, our terrific quality of life, and we’re thrilled they’ve chosen Colorado for their new headquarters, bringing 250 new high-paying jobs to our state,” said Governor Jared Polis.
Naked Wines expects to create 251 jobs over eight years, including software engineers, product managers, and marketing roles. The average annual wage is projected to be $121,016, which is 161% of Denver County’s average annual wage and higher than that of any county in Colorado. The company currently has about 150 employees in the U.S.
“At Naked Wines we are passionate about connecting American wine drinkers directly to the world’s best winemakers. Our location in Denver will allow us to connect directly with a vibrant talent pool and give us the access to the skills we need to share our better way to wine with drinkers across the country,” said Nick Devlin, CEO of Naked Wines. “Colorado has always been an important market for Naked Wines; Coloradans are free thinkers who love to challenge the status quo and that makes Denver a perfect fit for Naked.”
Naked Wines is moving into its new downtown Denver headquarters at 19th and Lawrence, and will begin filling new positions right away.
“Denver is emerging as a globally-recognized hub for innovative brands in the food and beverage industry. We’re excited to welcome Naked Wines to the local business community and look forward to celebrating their continued growth,” said Ray Gonzales, executive vice president of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation.
“Innovation has long defined Colorado’s food and agriculture industry, allowing it to stand the test of time and expand into new areas. Companies like Naked Wines help us continue that legacy while also bringing fresh ideas and opportunities to our state,” said OEDIT Executive Director Patrick Meyers.
Denver, Colorado competed with Seattle, Washington as the new expansion location. The State of Colorado will provide up to $4,332,944 in performance-based Job Growth Incentive Tax Credits over an 8-year period to Naked Wines, originally referred to as Project Bluebird during the review process.