Vegan wines and spirits? Two Latinas come together to push this segment to the forefront

Two Latin entrepreneurs, Jessica Contreras of Fuego Fino, Inc, and Frances Gonzalez of Vegan Wines, come together to make vegan wine and spirits more accessible to consumers.

“Plant-based and planet-friendly is a powerful combination, not to mention the fact that we are two Latin women who are finding ways to work and build with one another. This is a win-win for our respective communities — and for female-founded ventures as a whole. It shows that when we come together, we can bring opportunity and change to the market,” says CEO Jessica Contreras.

AREN’T ALL WINES AND SPIRITS VEGAN?

No. The primary reason why wines and spirits are not vegan has to do with how producers clean up the product’s appearance, which usually involves the use of gelatins from animals, milk, and fish proteins. This process is known as “fining.” In most cases, producers use the animal-based proteins to act like magnets and attract the cloudy elements in young wines to more easily remove them. The most commonly used fining proteins are gelatin (animal protein), casein (a milk protein), albumin (egg whites), and isinglass (fish bladder protein).

ABOUT FRANCES GONZALEZ OF  VEGAN WINES

Frances is originally from New York, NY and is an experienced professional in the wine industry. As a vegan wine expert, she currently serves as President of Vegan Wines, a completely vegan-friendly wine club. Vegan Wines was founded in 2017 and focuses on providing members with information on the taste, style, quality, and region of each hand-picked wine, as well as the history and winemaking process as described by the vineyard owners and winemakers. Working with both Vegan Wines and Despacito Distributors has allowed Frances to gain nuanced expertise in the wine industry. She is also a member of the Women of the Vine & Spirits, where she assists in coordinating events that support an environment for female engagement in the wine business.

Frances also has extensive experience in the Vegan industry, having founded VegFest Puerto Rico, a festival that focuses on creating a community to enjoy a variety of vegan-friendly foods and products. She is also a Vegan Mentor at Catskill Animal Sanctuary and is the Vice President at Misfits Pet Orphanage.

Vegan Wines Website: https://veganwines.com

ABOUT FUEGO FINO, INC.

Fuego Fino, Inc. is a planet-friendly wine and spirits company that focuses on developing the next high-growth product sector. They boost their revenue potential by curtailing waste and retaining the majority of their supply and distribution networks. For more information, please visit their website.

Fuego Fino Website: https://fgfino.com