New York-based Wilson Daniels Wholesale announced that Galaxy Wine Co., Portland, Ore., is expanding its wholesale operations into the state of Washington, effective Jan. 1, 2022.
As part of the expansion, the company has secured a 22,000-square-foot warehouse and office space in Tukwila, and will have a workforce of 25 employees, including warehouse and fleet teams, sales management and support staff, finance and operations.
“We were initially drawn to Galaxy in 2018 because they represent the very best in fine wine distribution for the Pacific Northwest,” said Rocco Lombardo, president of Wilson Daniels, in a statement. “With distributor consolidation continuing to be a trend in our industry, we see opportunity with the expansion of Galaxy considering the impressive market equity built over the past three decades in Oregon. The newly formed Galaxy Wine Co. of Oregon and Washington will be under the recently appointed leadership of Jerred Wolff. Jerred has vast experience in the region, and his expertise will provide the stewardship necessary to enhance our share of the fine wine segment in both states.”
Founded in 1999 by industry veterans Matt Elsen and Bob Liner, Galaxy quickly distinguished itself as a leader in fine wine distribution and marketing in Oregon. In 2018, Wilson Daniels Wholesale acquired Galaxy, making WDW a bicoastal operation. Today, Galaxy is the third largest wine wholesaler in the state of Oregon representing more than 400 distinguished producers, with a commitment to represent family-owned wineries with a deep sense of place, it says.
“This expansion into Washington comes at an opportune time in Galaxy's history,” said Wolff, senior vice president and general manager of Galaxy Wine Co., who was appointed this September. “What Matt and Bob built was based on a very simple yet effective philosophy: ‘Always hire the best people, and you can build the best portfolio.’ This is the philosophy we still operate by today. At Galaxy's core, we're storytellers, and I look forward to growing the Galaxy Washington portfolio in line with what we do best ― sharing unique places and family stories through the lens of fine wine.”
In the lead up to the official Jan. 1 launch, Galaxy will remain focused on building out the Washington arm of its team and its portfolio, having already secured commitments from multiple suppliers they currently represent in Oregon. The team also established a new green route-to-market in Washington, using a third party to lower its carbon footprint while maintaining the same high level of customer satisfaction and account support.
