J. ANTHONY PHOTOGRAPHY

Demetra Harris (left) and Brandi Neloms, founders of Sipping Black Only, pose at Seven Springs Farm and Vineyard in Norlina, N.C. – one of fewer than 10 Black-owned vineyards in the state.

Supporting Black-owned businesses led Brandi Neloms and Demetra Harris to launch Sipping Black Only in 2021.

“You have to consume liquid to survive,” Harris said.  “Imagine supporting Black-owned businesses to help you in everyday life.”

Sipping Black Only is a community of Black-owned beverage brands committed to amplifying Blackness “one cork, one pour, and one sip at a time” in Charlotte and beyond. The consulting company works with businesses who sell water, coffee, tea, wine, liquor, rum, spirits— you name it.

The two women started off as friends first, meeting from mutual friend groups prior to going into business together.

Sipping Black Only advocates for brands and their founders to increase exposure, drive consumer demand, and provide long-term support. Knowing that people of color are often missing out on economic opportunity, they host events, post content, and work with professionals across the wine industry. Their ultimate mission is to make choosing beverage brands owned by African Americans mainstream.

In Charlotte, they have worked with: A Dose of the South Coffee, Ebony Wine & Spirits, Maji (Alston Beverage Company), Parlare Wines by Chrissy, USVI Wine Company in Concord, Redd Rose Vodka, and The Urban Tasting Room.

Starting a business during a global pandemic was less of a challenge with people stuck at home drinking tea, coffee, and other beverages. Neloms and Harris started by visiting restaurants in North Carolina and other states to learn about the lack of Black-owned beverage businesses and offered to publicize brands to as many people as possible.

“Just having those conversations, a lot of times the beverage founders, they received us very well,” Neloms said. “It's really about driving economic opportunity for these brands and awareness for the consumers, and you have people who are now ordering and replacing the bottles that they bought.”

In 2020, when Keysha Taylor started ADOS Coffee after being tired of drinking cheap coffee from grocery stores, Sipping Black Only helped spread the word about her business.

“We had such a great first quarter when we first launched the business because of Sipping Black Only so participating not only in their in-person event, but being featured in their Facebook group,” Taylor said. “I think it greatly helped us kind of get the word out just about the company in those initial months which is crucial, as you know, to any business in those first few months.”

North Carolina is the 11th largest producer of wine in the United States, with more than 500 vineyards with 200 wineries generating $2 billion a year. Fewer than 10 are African American-owned.

Taylor Redd used her experience as a bartender and passion for mixology to launch Redd Rose Vodka in 2018 to honor her late grandmother. The Strawberry Lemon flavor is corn-based and gluten-free. Redd Rose Vodka can be found at Charlotte ABC stores on North Graham Street, University City Boulevard, Providence Farm Lane, and Independence Boulevard.

In 2021, her stock sold out.

Redd heard about Sipping Black Only after Harris reached out to pitch her service.

“They literally support anything Redd Rose,” Redd said. “They talk about me when I don't even talk about myself. They support me when I don't even support myself. Brandy is a dog when it comes to marketing.”

In 2020, Chrissy Doles launched Parlare Wines by Chrissy. The Italian word parlare means to “speak or to talk” therefore the brand’s mission is to bring people together for laughter, love, and great conversation.

The pure wine comes from a vineyard in California and does not contain any sugar. The three white classic blends consist of a pear, nectar, and green apple taste. Parlare Wines is best paired with a Sangria mix or with seafood, salads, and different fruits.

Social media was one of the ways consumers learned about Doles’ wine brand during the pandemic thanks to Sipping Black Only.

“The fact that they're posting and speaking about not just my business, all businesses it really helps us,” Doles said. “Right now, social media is the only way that we can grow our businesses and get the clientele that we need to survive if we're not a brick and mortar.”

Doles added that there are very few Black women in the wine business.

Parlare Wines by Chrissy is sold online and served at Napa at Kingsley restaurant in Fort Mill, S.C.

Not only is buying Black investing money back into the community, but it also helps the entire U.S. economy.

“Supporting Black-owned businesses is not just good for Black people, “Neloms said. “When you talk about what consumers spend annually if you put more money in the hands of people who don't have that type of disposable income currently, you're increasing GDP for the country. Your moving commerce forward. So as you can build businesses and you talk about wealth sharing and generational [wealth] for families, this is good for the country to close this wealth gap and provide opportunities for people who don't have them.”

The end goal for Sipping Black Only is to drive change that would help close the U.S. racial household wealth gap.

For more information: www.sipblackonly.com.

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