"If you have the passion and ambition to export, just do it!"

From a young age, Jessica van Spaendonck knew that she wanted to run her own business when she grew up. That dream became a reality in 2017, when she founded her company VINADA Wines, an ambitious brand of sparkling, alcohol-free wines from Spain and France. Her products are now sold in more than 30 countries and her company went on to win the Oranje Trade Mission Fund (OHMF) in 2022-2023.

How has that helped her? And what stage has she reached with her business? Read all about it in this article.

Alcohol-free Wine: Born From the Desire for a Good Alternative

VINADA Wines produces and sells three varieties of sparkling, alcohol-free vegan wines. The company is thinking big: VINADA aims to become the leading alcohol-free wine brand, recognised worldwide as a delicious, premium and high-quality alternative.

Van Spaendonck: "I admit, it started out of self-interest. I couldn't always drink wine with alcohol because of my health." In 2008, while studying business administration, she came up with the idea to produce her own non-alcoholic wine. By 2015, a range of non-alcoholic drinks had appeared on the market, but wine was not one of them.

"If no one provides a good alternative, I'll do it myself," thought Van Spaendonck. She went in search of winegrowers in Spain and France who were interested in embarking on this adventure with her and willing to put the product’s theoretical feasibility to the test. "Of course, this is a very brief summary of the entire process", Van Spaendonck adds. Registration with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce followed in 2017. 

Van Spaendonck makes wine for people who cannot, should not or prefer not to drink alcohol, but want the same experience and taste sensation as alcoholic wine. With her company, she hopes to contribute to social awareness of alcohol consumption.

Participation in the 2022 Oranje Trade Mission Fund

In 2022, Van Spaendonck and VINADA Wines was one of the ten winners of the Oranje Trade Mission Fund (Oranje Handelmissiefonds, OHMF). She didn’t come up with the idea to participate herself: "Suddenly, I received a confirmation email saying ‘Thank you for your application’. Turns out, a colleague had registered me! We had specified the United States as our focus country, where we were already active in 12 states. Today, our operations have widened to 15. Through the fund, we have made many new contacts that will help us further the growth and development of VINADA Wines in the US."

Tip: just do it!

Van Spaendonck explains, "If you have the passion and ambition to export, just do it! There are countless reasons why it would not be possible. Shake these doubts off and follow your heart. After all, if things do not work out, you can always look for a job."

“The Netherlands Enterprise Agency has also helped me a lot," says Van Spaendonck. "An Australian distributor was one of the first parties to approach us. Because I didn't know where to start in terms of legislation and regulations, I called RVO, among others, and they immediately got back to me with practical advice. It’s simple - just call and ask for help."

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