Wisdom From The Women Leading the Wine & Spirits Industries, with Lyda Hanson Of Suntide Mimosas

An interview with Kelly Reeves

Be bold — Wine is one of the oldest beverages to be consumed by a wide variety of people. Even though a simple glass of a classic red or white is sophisticated and respected, that doesn’t mean we can’t shake things up a bit. Suntide does that for consumers. Canned mimosas are a much more approachable form of sparkling wine, and as long as there is a market out there for a take on wine, I say let’s continue to create new ways of enjoying it!

Less than 20% of winemakers and distillers are women. Traditionally, women were excluded from these industries. This number is slowly rising as more women choose to study this profession and enter the wine and spirits fields. What is it like for those women who work in this male-dominated industry? What are some of the challenges that these women face? Is there hope for better representation, and better wages, for women in the wine and spirits industry? As a part of our series about women leading the wine and spirits industries, we had the pleasure of interviewing Lyda Hanson.

As CEO of Suntide Mimosas, Lyda Hanson serves as the visionary behind the brand, overseeing all aspects of the business including sales management, marketing and product development. Before founding Suntide, Hanson honed her expertise in website design and UI/UX management for brands like FTW Ventures and MiResource, where she developed skilled marketing assets. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Cognitive Science from the University of California Berkeley, and enjoys creative activities such as surfing, painting, playing guitar, crafting jewelry and exploring photography in her free time.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your origin story, and your childhood?

I’m originally from Northern California, more specifically Marin County. My twin brothers and I were raised up there where we spent a lot of time outside, at the beach or hiking. Marin County is so beautiful, and growing up there, nature was a huge part of my childhood and upbringing. My mom is also an artist, so we grew up in a very creative household. She always inspired and encouraged my siblings and I to pursue creative projects and ideas.

I graduated from University of California Berkeley in 2021, the same year we launched Suntide. During that time, I visited Southern California and fell in love with the life and culture of Encinitas specifically. Surfing, skating, kayaking — whatever outdoor activity you like — the city loves. It’s a different pace of life that reminded me of Marin County, and it played a huge role in inspiring the brand and ethos of Suntide.

Can you tell us the “backstory” about what brought you to the wine and spirits industry?

While I was in college, the ready-to-drink industry was really starting to boom with brands like White Claw and Cutwater having great success. Seeing brands like this at social events made me realize that at that time, there had yet to be a nationally recognized ready-to-drink mimosa company.

Mimosas have always been the go-to festive “day drink” that my friends and peers would drink, particularly during tailgate season, birthdays and other celebrations. I find mimosas to be the perfect drink for complementing those special moments– they’re lighter than beer, tastier than seltzers and more low-key than hard-proof cocktails.

The big problem I found with mimosas? While the ingredients may be simple, leftover ingredients can be a pain and a waste! More often than not, you are left with flat champagne and half-empty orange juice cartons, and you really can’t take them to the beach, park, tailgate, or anywhere on the go because of the heavy, fragile glass of the champagne bottle. Therefore, to me, it seemed there was a major gap in the market, given that these drinks are so beloved, widely known and widely consumed.

When quarantine hit for the first time in 2020, I had the extra time away from school to learn about the feasibility of bringing something like this to life. I really had a great feeling about the idea.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Something that really impacted me was when my family and I attended our first production and I saw a full production house branded with my packaging designs. I was still relatively young, and though I had always been eager to conceive and brainstorm business ideas, it was an eye-opening experience seeing the process in operation. Reflecting on that moment, I realize I’ve grown a lot, as a businesswoman and as a person. I’d say that moment was pivotal in the sense that since then I’ve only learned more and more about business development. Moments like that, where I saw a new development for the first time, have taught me that the reward that stands behind perseverance and determination is humbling and exciting. At just 23, It made me aware of the potential of what Suntide could be.

It has been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Starting in the industry at the age that I did, I was a little naive toward how delicate brand and product ideas are without patents or copyright. I was so eager and so proud of my idea before it became Suntide that I was telling everyone I knew! Looking back, it was an innocent mistake — that I wasn’t aware of until one of our first advisors advised me to keep it private. Luckily, nothing negative ever came out of my excitement, but I’ve definitely learned the importance of strategy and timing for any new announcements or products we want to share with the public.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

I am especially grateful and lucky to call my brothers my business partners. I’ve always been keenly aware of their respective talents and strengths, however, seeing them implement these strengths in a work environment has been eye-opening to what they are capable of achieving both in their immediate and long-term futures. As I mentioned, Suntide began as a simple idea I had in college and they’ve played a massive role in helping me build it into the brand it is today.

Both my parents also really nurtured any and all of my creative ideas. Being an artist, my mom made it feel like the possibilities were endless and always encouraged me to ideate and create.

My dad also played an incredibly significant role in encouraging my entrepreneurial mindset.

My dad is deeply involved in aspects of the technological innovation that have taken place in Silicon Valley and instilled in me from an early age that I too could create and innovate. On multiple occasions, he would bring me to the Palo Alto lab he worked in, where I would be exposed to fascinating technology demos alongside up-and-coming projects. Each time, I would leave mystified and inspired to dream big. On other occasions, I would tag along to his business meetings where I would have the opportunity to observe, listen and learn. These experiences gave me a sneak peek into the fast-paced, creative startup culture and an introduction to the people at the forefront of innovation in their industries.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Remaining open to collaboration, embracing feedback and always leading with authenticity.

Working with family can be tricky, but my team and I have seen the most success when we’ve opened ourselves up to collaboration in all of our business interactions. There have been some lighthearted instances where one of our team members or I have felt stubborn and confident about an idea or decision, and it has affected our efficiency. Being open to collaboration and compromise leads to more efficient meetings, smarter business moves and better overall products. Similarly, ensuring that we’re respectful and considerate of one another’s ideas has also been crucial to collaborating in a group setting. Balancing authenticity and honesty with compassion is an art. Even though they’re relatively simple concepts, they’re often difficult for most people to practice.

We also make a huge effort to connect with our distributors, retailers and consumers. Whether that be through intimate tastings in small towns or offering different channels for feedback to flow through, we really value that organic connection between Suntide and consumers. It’s a great experience because not too often do people actually meet the brand owners doing the tastings and we’ve gotten some great feedback from people trying the product for the first time. Further, we get to connect with them and hopefully create a meaningful connection that inspires them to bring Suntide to their next event.

Finally, we make a huge effort to take advantage of our unique skill sets and knowledge internally so that the business can grow. While I am the CEO and my brother is the COO, we’ve had multiple photo/video shoots where I am shooting as a photographer and my brother as a videographer. Its really fun because we get to connect with the models, get the exact shot we want, and these shoots generally turn into a Suntide party! Of course, we contract out some of those services as well, but when we are available, we like to be the ones behind the scenes creating content and getting our hands dirty. We think it provides an authenticity — a homemade feel — that other brands struggle to emulate.

Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? How do you think that will help people?

We are working on some new flavors and offerings that we think are going to be perfect for the upcoming summer season. I can’t share too much, but like all the Suntide brands, we’re looking to create a culture around these products that encourages people to go back to the basics: Put their phones down, get outside and connect with one another. Spending time with loved ones is the essence of life. If we can bring people together for mutual benefit, I think that’s incredibly impactful.

Ok. Thank you for all that. Let’s now jump to the main core of our interview. Despite great progress that has been made we still have a lot more work to do to achieve gender parity in this industry. In Napa Valley, the percentage of lead women winemakers or winery owners is about 12%. Overall, men account for about 80% of winemakers and winery owners. In your opinion or experience, what 3 things can be done by a) individuals b) companies and/or c) society as a whole to support greater gender parity moving forward?

First, I think it’s important to recognize that female-founded RTD brands are actually disrupting these statistics. Drinks Intel published some statistics late last year that concluded that “Consumption isn’t particularly gender-specific, as figures show that RTDs are just slightly more attractive to females [52%] than to males [48%]” (2023), so I’d like to think that with the introduction of wine-based RTDS, brands like Suntide are actually expanding the horizon for women winemakers with a wine product known and loved by women! 😊 It’s true though, there’s still so much more work to be done by all parties:

Individuals — I think that consumer social responsibility can have more of an impact on the market than most realize. This partially falls on woman-owned companies to ensure that their messaging and founding stories are reaching the right audiences. Simultaneously, on the other hand, it is vital, especially in today’s day in age, that consumers are more conscious and critical of the brands that they are supporting. Whether it be for social responsibility or safety, brands that are doing and promoting good are more likely to have a higher share of voice in the market if consumers are actively looking for them.

Companies — In the same vein, it is vital that woman-owned companies continue to share and publicize their own founding stories. Being woman-owned isn’t just a marketing tactic, it’s a proud statement that insinuates diversity, and new perspectives in the industry. In all industries, diversity brings the opportunity for growth and new perspectives. It is something to be proud of and to continue to fight for when it comes to share of voice in the market.

Society — In recent years, we’ve seen an uptick in younger generations speaking out against tradition and norms that are outdated. This is something so simple, but so effective. We need to keep making noise every day. Whether it’s calling out exclusionary speech or just simply refusing to partake in an antiquated gesture or interaction, change starts small.

You are a “Wine and Spirits Insider”. If you had to advise someone about 5 non-intuitive things one should know to succeed in the wine and spirits industry, what would you say? Can you please give a story or an example for each?

1. Create More — Like any industry, a company’s brand usually extends beyond its hero product or service. For Suntide, we’ve taken the creative liberty of incorporating apparel and film to help communicate what we embody. Spencer, our Chief Operations Officer, has developed a recent passion for film and creating video so it has been a great opportunity for him to utilize this skill in creating short films for our marketing.
2. Be bold — Wine is one of the oldest beverages to be consumed by a wide variety of people. Even though a simple glass of a classic red or white is sophisticated and respected, that doesn’t mean we can’t shake things up a bit. Suntide does that for consumers. Canned mimosas are a much more approachable form of sparkling wine, and as long as there is a market out there for a take on wine, I say let’s continue to create new ways of enjoying it!
3. Embrace rejection — In this industry, with so many brands popping up on the market faster than you can say “cheers,” being ready for rejection is non-negotiable. It’s not just about brushing off a “no,” it’s about using those setbacks to fine-tune your game plan. Understanding why some doors close can be key for future success, helping you stand out in a crowded field and build organic connections that are more impactful.
4. Embrace feedback — This goes for anything at all in life, but for this industry specifically, it’s crucial. It helps us understand consumer preferences and market trends, ultimately allowing us to tailor our products to meet evolving tastes. Constructive feedback from consumers and industry experts can improve product quality, flavor and packaging, enhancing overall brand reputation and loyalty.
5. Expect the unexpected — Like any entrepreneurial venture in any industry, if you’re going into something for the first time, there’s going to be a lot of novelty and maybe even some surprises. The amount of people and stakeholders involved in developing a product can cause a lot of added variables and factors, so it’s important to stay a step ahead of the curve to prioritize everyone’s needs.

Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the industry?

The RTD industry is such a fun business to observe and be involved in. With limitless recipes and flavors to play off, it’s always interesting seeing what kinds of cocktails will be available in canned options.

Similarly, the introduction of novel ideas like probiotics and non-alcoholic spirits and wines has been especially inspiring to observe.

One thing that I think is especially unique to the RTD industry is the branding and reliance on packaging and design to differentiate a product. From colors to patterns to fonts, brands have gotten increasingly creative in utilizing art to demonstrate their ethos and catch the eye of consumers.

Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest?

I’m hopeful that the diversity in gender for future generations of leaders in this industry will be higher. I’m also hopeful that as ingredient labels become a more common topic in the food and beverage and RTD spaces, that more brands will turn to using real, natural ingredients to develop their products.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Growing up, my favorite song was Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A Changin’.” One line really stuck with me from a young age, and that is simply “don’t criticize what you can’t understand.” This line reminds me of the importance of listening BEFORE I speak, learning about perspectives foreign to my own, and honoring those perspectives as valid. From a business standpoint, it reminds me to really listen and be open minded to my fellow partners’ opinions and perspectives; even if I may not understand or agree with them inherently, I do not criticize them but rather work to come to some common ground and the best path moving forward.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 😊

I’d love to inspire a movement that encourages people to get together, be present and celebrate what’s right in front of them. At the end of the day, it’s the simple things in life that are the most impactful and important. To make moments like these more common and prominent for people would be incredibly fulfilling.

Thank you so much for the time you spent with this. We wish you only continued success!