Washington Organization Rebrands Itself

For more than 30 years, the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers (WAWGG) has served the unique and shared interests of those who produce wine and grow winegrapes.  During the WAWGG annual meeting at the 2017 Convention and Trade Show in Kennewick, WA, the organization debuted a rebranding effort to align the organization with the grape industry. The organization will now be known as the Washington Winegrowers Association, Washington Winegrowers for short.

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The name change is the public acknowledgment of an intention to further the vision of a thriving industry — recognized globally — for quality wines and vineyards, supported by education and cutting-edge research. This rebranding process began two years ago with the board of directors looking to meet the needs of an evolving and growing industry. The change is part of a comprehensive brand evolution process with a new name, tagline, and logo all mission-driven.

“Our aim is to enhance industry performance. Our new name and logo is just part of a larger journey to become even more mission-driven in everything we do, to help members and the broader industry,” Todd Newhouse, chairman of the Board of Directors, said.

The name “winegrowers” has been used as verbal shorthand for the longer, former name (Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers) with the term being used to describe a person who owns a vineyard and makes wine.

“Many members who once only grew grapes now have both vineyards and wineries,” Vicky Scharlau, Executive Director of Washington Winegrowers, said. “People from all over the country are taking notice of Washington State and investment in infrastructure from both the supply-side and production-side has exponentially expanded. Our new name and logo is reflective of the industry growth.”

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Additional initiatives are underway to better serve and engage members and the broader industry including a revamped website and other communication tools. For more information, visit WAwinegrowers.org

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