Vital Wine Healthcare Pt 2
With today's Fruit Grower Report, I'm Bob Larson. We began yesterday talking about Vital Wines, a Walla Walla label dedicated to helping wine industry employees get the healthcare they need.
Vital Wine's Ashley Trout says the structure of the industry
led her to see a very clear need for suitable healthcare ...
TROUT ... "So much like anything within the wine industry, it's extremely seasonal, so all profits, 100% of
the profits, right now are going to the S.O.S. Clinic. But, there are times when we're not making a profit because we do have to hold on to operating costs. And, then there are other times when we're doing great."
So, Trout says having a winery as an advocate made sense ...
TROUT ... "Healthcare clinics are not sexy in the way wineries are sexy. So, we as a winery get invited to all sorts of things and get press in all sorts of ways that the clinics, standing on its own, would not. And, so just by virtue of the press and the marketing that we get for the clinic, more and more employers in the Walla Walla area know about the clinic and can start sending their employees to the clinic which already is helpful."
But, Trout says we're not quite there yet ...
TROUT ... "We need the clinic to be open more hours. We need more clinics like this. We need mobile units. We haven't scratched the surface as far as I'm concerned."
Tune in tomorrow for more on Vital Wines, or got to www.vitalwinery.com .
The 4th Annual Vital Wines Benefit Dinner is Thursday night, April 11th.
Trout says Vital Wines are quick to sell out, but when available, you can find them through their website or at select retail outlets.
