Pronghorn teams up with WOTVS

Three companies striving for equality, Pronghorn, Women of the Vine & Spirits (WOTVS) and Diverse Powered Brands (DPB), have joined forces to propel change in the industry.

The collaboration will see Pronghorn provide annual WOTVS Corporate Memberships to nine women-led spirits brands and sponsor annual subscriptions for its entire portfolio of 23 brands in the DPB business-to-business (B2B) platform.

Pronghorn will also contribute to WOTVS’s new live chat series, featuring Black women owners and leaders from its spirits portfolio.

The series starts in May and runs through 2024, with sessions including speakers such as Abisola Whiskey’s Abisola Abidemi, Red Hazel Whiskey’s TK Burtin, Anteel Tequila’s Nayana Ferguson, and Ego Tequila’s Rikki Kelly.

The collaboration is said to collectively fuse the trio’s business approaches together – accounting for equity, opportunity and accessibility – to find ways to affect change in the industry.

Pronghorn co-founder Erin Hall said: “We couldn’t be more proud to partner with Women of the Vine & Spirits and Diverse Powered Brands during such a monumental time of amplifying the voices of our Black and women-founded and led brands.

“Combining forces with those who are inspired to create change in the spirits industry will garner an even stronger support system for those who have already faced systemic inequities.”

With Diageo as its main investor, Pronghorn was set up in 2021 as a 10-year initiative to drive diversity, equity and inclusion across the industry.

Dedicated to helping the next generation of Black entrepreneurs, its goal is to generate US$2.4 billion in economic value for the Black community by 2032, as well as invest in 57 Black-owned spirits brands and find work for 1,800 Black employees.

For the launch of WOTVs live chat series, Pronghorn’s executives and brand founders will share advice on how industry leaders can tackle some of the most pressing issues in addressing systemic inequities.

“We continue to be inspired by the achievements and impact that Pronghorn has had on the industry,” added Deborah Brenner, founder and CEO of WOTVS and DPB.

“Pronghorn’s commitment to cultivating the next generation of Black entrepreneurs, leaders and founders in the spirits industry is so aligned with the Women of the Vine & Spirits and Diverse Powered Brands shared mission of equity and inclusion.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Pronghorn and to work more closely with their portfolio brands.”

Recently WOTVS debuted a campaign backed by Pernod Ricard, which was launched as an initiative to tackle sexual harassment in the drinks industry.