
A winery in northern California is looking to expand its portfolio of wines and beer by adding more natural light beers.
The wine and beer business at the San Bernardino, Calif.-based Stroh’s Brewery and Winery is expanding its portfolio with a beer, natural light wine and bourbon program, which it hopes will increase sales by 50 percent and revenue by $1.5 million annually.
The initiative comes as California is grappling with a drought that has forced a steep drop in wine production and tourism, prompting wine makers to look to other markets, such as neighboring New York and Oregon, for their growth.
The natural light program is the latest in a string of initiatives from Stroh, which is also known for its natural light whiskey and natural light cider.
The company last year started a wine program at its brewery in Los Angeles.
“We really want to help consumers enjoy the natural light of day,” said Stroh CEO and founder, Michael Stroh.
“We have to be smart about what we do to maximize the benefits of the natural sunlight that comes through the roof.”
It’s a program that the company has experimented with in the past, such that it launched a natural light brewery at its flagship Winery in San Francisco in 2015.
Its natural light vodka is now available at select restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area, where the brewery is located.
The company also recently launched a limited-time natural light bottle program at the winery, with limited quantities of 12-ounce bottles and limited bottles to be given away at events, restaurants and retailers.
Sierra Nevada Corp. and other natural light wineries have recently been expanding their portfolio of natural light beverages to include beer, which was recently expanded to include natural light wines.
In recent years, natural lighting has also become a major focus for wineries and craft breweries, including Sierra Nevada and Stone Brewing Co. In 2018, the craft brewer said it was adding a natural-light taproom in Denver to provide a more hands-on experience.
Syracuse, N.Y.-based W.A. Miller Co. is expanding natural light in its brewery as well.
Its W. Amager Natural Light Farmhouse Ale, which comes in 16-ounce cans, is available now in select stores in the New York City area.
The W. A. Miller Natural Light farmhouse ale is available in 22-ounce, 48-ounce and 750-milliliter bottles.