Laithwaites and DRINKS Partner to Expand Wine Distribution Online

Strategic Partnership Brings Decades of Wine Fulfillment Expertise and Hundreds of New SKUs to DRINKS Anywhere™ Platform

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DRINKS, the leading innovator in eCommerce solutions for alcohol retailers and digital merchants, today announced a strategic partnership with Laithwaites, one of the world’s largest direct-to-consumer wine providers, to significantly expand digital access to its portfolio of wines across the United States through the DRINKS Anywhere™ platform, enabling seamless integration of alcohol sales into digital storefronts.

With over 25 years of direct-to-consumer wine delivery experience, Direct Wines Inc. holds the exclusive rights to the Laithwaites brand and content in the U.S. and partners with licensed retailers, such as Lionstone, to compliantly distribute wines across 47 states. This collaboration brings together Laithwaites' rich heritage in wine sourcing and fulfillment with DRINKS’ advanced digital infrastructure for online alcohol sales.

“Laithwaites has been connecting wine lovers with exceptional bottles for more than 25 years in the U.S.,” said Zac Brandenberg, Co-Founder and CEO of DRINKS. “We’re thrilled to welcome them into the DRINKS ecosystem and make their celebrated wines more widely available across the country through our platform.”

Founded in 1969, Laithwaites revolutionized direct-to-consumer wine selling in the UK and now serves customers globally. Over 56 years, it has built a vast, curated wine catalog sourced from Europe, the U.S., and the world’s most exciting wine regions. The company is widely recognized for championing small, family-run wineries and connecting consumers to unique, hard-to-find wines.

With the DRINKS Anywhere™ platform, any e-tailer, brand or marketplace can now tap into the high-growth, high-margin alcohol category without needing an alcohol license, and all while maintaining full compliance. With DRINKS, adult beverages can be seamlessly merchandised via an API across websites, mobile apps, email and more, reaching customers wherever they shop. By joining the platform, Direct Wines Inc. becomes a key supply partner, enabling their portfolio of wines to flow directly onto the digital shelves of DRINKS-powered retailers.

“This partnership enables us to reach new customers while continuing to support the small, independent winemakers we’ve always championed,” said Neil Rhodes, Chief Operating Officer at Direct Wines Inc. “We’re excited to be part of a forward-thinking network that values quality, transparency, and innovation in wine distribution.”

Key Benefits of the Partnership:

• Significantly expanding the number of SKUs available across the DRINKS Anywhere™ network, giving eCommerce merchants even broader inventory
• Bringing onboard a high-volume supply partner with decades of experience delivering wines directly to consumers, compliantly and reliably
• Supporting smaller producers, as Laithwaites’ champions family-run wineries and provides an essential route to market for hundreds of independent vineyards worldwide
• Enabling clients of DRINKS Anywhere™ to feature an ever-expanding selection of curated wines to their own customer base
• Expanding Direct Wines Inc’s reach to a much broader audience of digital retailers and marketplaces, unlocking new opportunities for incremental sales and revenue
• Showcasing Direct Wines Inc’s portfolio of brands across unique digital ecosystems, enabling greater visibility and discovery in high-growth eCommerce channels

“As DRINKS Anywhere™ scales to meet the growing consumer demand for alcohol access wherever people shop, our network will require hundreds of suppliers and points of distribution across the country,” said Brandenberg. “Partnerships like this are essential to building the decentralized, digital-first supply chain of the future.”

The addition of Direct Wines Inc to the DRINKS Anywhere™ platform reinforces DRINKS’ ability to empower digital-first businesses to compliantly offer alcohol sales without the limitations of traditional retail such as shelf space, geographic restrictions, or complex logistics.

For more information on this partnership, visit www.drinks.com.

About DRINKS

DRINKS is the leading Al-powered SaaS platform revolutionizing the $285 billion US alcohol market. Through its DaaS (Drinks as a Service) offering, DRINKS enables any eCommerce brand, e-tailer or marketplace to compliantly and seamlessly sell alcoholic beverages alongside their existing products, without the need for licenses, inventory, or upfront costs. Trusted by Fortune 500 retailers as well as emerging brands, the DRINKS suite includes DRINKS Anywhere™ for embedded alcohol sales, DRINKS Assure™ for automated compliance, and DRINKS Amplify™ for professional services. DRINKS has been recognized as a Top Place to Work by Built In for six consecutive years and one of America's Best Startup Employers by Forbes.

About Laithwaites

Laithwaites, the world's leading home delivery wine service, was founded by Tony Laithwaite in 1969. Its exclusive range of wines is selected by local experts who taste over 40,000 wines each year and select less than 2%. The company champions smaller, family-run wineries and has a commitment to high-quality, personalized services for its customers. In the U.S., Laithwaites wines are marketed and fulfilled by Direct Wines Inc., partnering with licensed retailers in 47 states. All orders are accepted and fulfilled by a licensed retailer or winery in your selected delivery state. To learn more, visit www.laithwaites.com.