La Fête Goes Global - VIDEO
The premium Black-owned wine brand produced in Provence makes its way to West Africa this spring.
It’s always a pleasure chatting with Donae Burston, the CEO/founder of the La Fête wine brand. For one, he’s super down to earth, not a trait I typically encounter from those who run in the major hot shot circles he’s in. Also, Burston always has something cool in the works, which he briefly discusses in the video below.
An avid traveler, whose premium white and rosé wines are produced in Provence, France, Burston is introducing his brand to West Africa in May. “A lot of wealthy, more-in-the-know Africans who go between Paris and London and the United States are very much into wine,” he says. “We are excited to be a Black-owned brand going back to the continent and competing against some of the other luxury players and bringing our version of rosé to that market.”
Burston’s love of travel extends beyond himself. His company generously supports All Abroad, a nonprofit organization empowering global youth travel for underrepresented communities. His support stems from his lack of travel when he was young, and he wants to help give underrepresented youth a leg up in the business world.
“The goal is to support the organization to take inner-city kids outside of their blocks, neighborhoods, states and even the United States to see that the world really is your oyster when you get out there,” Burston explains. “A lot of times we are only surrounded by people who look like us and then we are unprepared when we are thrust into the world. I think that travel is the thing that can … give you the confidence to help you succeed.”
Since launching La Fête du Rosé in 2019, Burston has become part of a growing new class of Black-owned wine brand founders with a social justice mission. In addition to supporting All Abroad, he’s active with The Roots Fund, whose aim is to make space for BIPOC professionals in the wine industry. He also makes a point to hire more Black professionals in his company at all levels.
“I make sure that I hire people who look like me to give them that experience because I was lucky to be given the chance to work at Moët Hennessy USA,” he says. “I also want to give people of color the opportunity to work on a global wine brand that’s Black owned, yet not limited to Black consumers.”
How Black-owned brands are faring since pandemic, George Floyd-related protests
Another thing I like about Burston is that he’s candid. He doesn’t mince his words when he discusses how over the top the media coverage and corporate partnerships were in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death and the related social justice protests.
“The pendulum swung all the way to the right” with companies and the media clamoring to work with Black-owned brands, he says, and now it feels like it’s all the way to the left.
“It’s gone back to status quo,” he says. “There are [fewer] companies that are truly committed, but a lot of that noise has gone away. It’s back to what we had in 2019. The opportunities have definitely gotten smaller.”
He says, however, that it’s not up to only major companies to help sustain Black-owned brands. They also need the support of the Black community.
“In 2020 and 2021, [Black consumers] were spending dollars on Black brands in large numbers and in masses,” he continues, “but I think that once Covid-19 ended and the world started to open back up, we as a community may have let our guard down as well. You can see that in some of the sales. That’s further reinforcing to the powers that be whether [Black-owned brands] are a trend.”
Burston offers a solution on how to get back on track.
“If we’re saying ‘Buy Black,’ then we need to make a conscientious effort to buy Black. The message also needs to convey that just because something is Black owned that doesn’t mean it’s only for Black people. It is for everyone.”
I will definitely drink to that.
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Great interview!