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MYWAH

July 29, 2019

Market Map: Booze Tech in 2019

From countertop devices used in the home kitchen to delivery services, the number of avenues in which companies can get booze to customers has expanded in recent years. And since it’s still the time of year when drinking on patios is a popular sport, we decided to focus our latest market map on all the tech out there currently changing the alcohol space.

In the U.S., alcohol consumption has actually stagnated, according to IWSR, but part of this is due to consumers now seeking quality over quantity when it comes to their drinking. Which might explain the rise in the number of companies offering recommendations apps that rate beers, wines, and spirits as well as at-home devices for the kitchen countertop that give the user a little more control over the quality of their drinks.

For The Spoon’s Booze Tech in 2019 market map, we divvied the market up into several categories where technology is making the biggest impact on the way people get, create, and consume beer, wine, and spirits. That’s everything from apps that update you on the best craft beers available to at-home bartending devices that let you release your inner mixologist to the many ways in which companies are making it possible to get the booze delivered right to your doorstep. We’ve narrowed the companies down to a collection of startups and major corporations alike. As with any post that outlines a market, this list isn’t exhaustive. So if you have thoughts and tips for who else you’d like to see here, feel free to drop us a line.

While we’re on the subject of maps, be sure to check out our 2019 Food Robotics market map and our Food Waste Innovation in 2019 map.

Booze Tech in 2019

January 3, 2019

MyWah to Debut Connected Wine Dispenser for Businesses at CES

With CES just days away, I’m in a mad dash to finalize which companies I’m meeting with (feel free to pitch me!), what products I want to see, and exactly how much I’ll be walking around Las Vegas. One company that just popped up on my radar is MyWah, which will be debuting Edgar, the connected “Wine Butler” (h/t Gadget).

Edgar is a WiFi-enabled countertop appliance about the size of a mini-fridge that can precisely dispense three different types of wine, each at their proper temperature (so whites are cooler than reds, etc.). Instead of bottles, the Edgar system ships RFID-tagged bags o’ wine that tell the machine what type of wine is being loaded in, provide sourcing information about that wine, and have the added bonuses of being easier to ship and supposedly reducing wine oxidation.

There’s no pricing information on the MyWah page for either the device or the bags of wine, but Edgar isn’t for consumers. Instead, the company is targeting restaurants, hotels, caterers, etc. MyWah wants Edgar to revolutionize “the service of wine by the glass.” To that end, Edgar’s system also provides information for owners such as consumption data, invoice management and inventory management.

MYWAH presents Edgar, a smart device

A lot of questions remain about Edgar. In addition to the aforementioned lack of pricing, there is also no info on their site about whether any kind of SaaS subscription is required, and the wine page just says they are preparing a “beautiful wine list.” So who knows if they are crafting their own, white labeling or working with recognized names.

With those caveats in mind, Edgar appears to be at the nexus of a few trends in hospitality right now. First, it automates the process of wine dispensing to maximize profitability (so long, overpours!). It also provides real time data so owners can see exactly what is selling and when. Finally, using proprietary bags not only gives MyWah a source of recurring revenue, but also an easier way to ship liquid. Bags are also being used to make shipping olive oil easier and homebrewing less complicated. I imagine we’ll see more innovation in such packaging this year as well.

Perhaps I’ll save seeing Edgar in action for the end of my time at CES — by then I’ll definitely need a glass of wine.

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