Family owned Opici Wine Group celebrates its 75th anniversary with a new product launch and continued success in wine and spirits distribution. By Kathryn Jones In an industry where most firms consolidate or fade with the times, the Opici Wine Group remains a shining example of how solid business practices and a family’s commitment to quality can enable a company to preserve. The Glen Rock, N.J.-based wine and spirits distributor celebrates its 75th anniversary this year with a new product launch commemorating the individual who cultivated the Opici Wine Group’s growth – Hubert Opici. Opici began working for the family’s wine distribution business in 1934. The company employed five individuals at the time and had 20 suppliers, one van and 75,000 square feet of warehousing space in Paterson, N.J. Today the Opici Wine Group has more than 425 employees and fore than 350 vendors. It maintains a fleet of 100 trucks and operated approximately 350,000 square feet of temperature-controlled warehouse space in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Florida. “I joined my mother and father as the second generation, and I am proud to have the fourth generation actively involved in our operations,” he said in a statement. “Only 3 percent of all family owned businesses operate at the fourth-generation level or beyond. It is a testament not only to our family, but to the strength of our company that we can be included in this exceptional minority. Our success is attributable to the hard work and dedication of our employees and the continued support of out suppliers and customers.” According to Opici’s granddaughter, President Dina Opici, the Opici Wine Group fully intends to make it to its 100th anniversary and beyond. “One of the things we’ve done as a company is create our own brands, which has allowed us to fuel our continued growth and success,” she says. “This year in light of our 75th anniversary, we introduced a new product called Zin 91 in honor of my grandfather.” The name of the old vine zinfandel was inspired by Hubert Opici, celebrating his 91st birthday two years ago. Opici often reminisces about the early days of California winemaking, where some of his fondest memories include an old vine zinfandel vineyard planted in 1891that always produced exceptional wines. The Opici family uses its Opici Import Company Co. as the incubator to create new brands. “We are fortunate to have the ability to utilize our distribution network to brainstorm and develop new product ideas before introducing them nationally,” Dina Opici says. Venerable Brand Although the Opici Wine Group had withstood the test of time, it had its fair share of trials and tribulations, Opici says. “What’s interesting about our industry is that there has been so much consolidation over the years, many of the family owned, independent businesses have left the segment,” she notes. “People say you can be in the right place at the right time, but for a while we were in the wrong place at the wrong time. We were challenged with regards to supply relationships, especially in New York. But, I think we finally have gotten to the point where we are in the right place at the right time for a business such as ours to be run by an independent family, as it gives us an edge over our competition.” In the past couple of years, the company – once focused solely on wine – has expanded its business to include spirits. “We find it a great addition to our portfolio,” Opici says. “In the past, we couldn’t fulfill all of our customer’s needs since we did not have any spirits. Now, we have a portfolio that can supply every segment of there business.” The largest spirit that the Opici Wine Group represents is Sobieski Vodka of Poland. “Sobieski came to us two years ago, and it was a brand that had not really entered the U.S. marketplace despite the fact that it has a large global presence,” Opici says. “They brought it to us because we were not a large spirit house, and they knew it would be a strong focus for us – and that’s exactly what we did. They might agree it was a good decision on their behalf, as we currently are their No. 1 selling marketplace with a growth rate of over 75 percent. “We are very proud of the brands we have built and turned into success stories,” she continues. “Whether it’s Hahn Family Estates, Purple Wine Company or McManis Family Vineyards, those are all suppliers that came to us with little or no representation in the marketplace and today have become viable competitors within the wine segment. It’s something that we have excelled at over the years: building brands and reaping the benefits of their successes.” Despite the recession, business is still going strong, she adds. “From a customer standpoint, we’re feeling the pinch of the economy on our on-premise business as the consumer is not going out to dinner as much,” Opici remarks. “But conversely, our off-premise business is still positive. We’re selling more cases of wine and spirits, but the average case price has decreased compared to last year, and I think that’s just a reaction to the economy. “In every segment of the business, people are finding value in the brands that they can afford,” she says. “I think we’re fortunate in that we offer wines and spirits at all price levels. That’s something that has strengthened the company over time.” FD