August 19, 2020

Meet Tanya Phillip – Yalley of Kemorene Wines in Studio City, North Hollywood

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tanya Phillip – Yalley.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I discovered my love for wine 20 years ago while working in the restaurant business. During that time, I had the opportunity to travel the world. Through my travels, I met many people who shared my same love for wine and the discovery of great tasting wines. Napa Valley was my favorite place to travel. I fell in love with the endless vineyards and valleys. I began inquiring and developing relationships with wine experts during my visits. In 2013 I founded Kemorene Wines, a woman-owned and operated wine company.

Once everything was up and running, I began promoting my product in local bars asking owners to add my wine to their menu. After receiving countless “No’s”, I was invited to do a wine tasting for the 2017 Walnut Street Awards Philadelphia, PA where I served Kemorene Wines to over 300 guests. Since then, there has been much trial and triumph but most of all growth.

When I created Kemorene Wines, I wanted to create a product that will empower women through taste. I began with wine labels that are uniquely designed to celebrate the diverse cultures and women. My mission with creating wines is also coupled with women’s empowerment. I believe women are mysterious, magical, gifted, which is reflective of their inner wisdom. Kemorene Incorporated is a collection of established businesses to empower women to build their own empires. Under the Kemorene brand there is our book store Divalicious Books and Adventures Art Gallery, and our beer & wine bar, Sugar Plum and Grumbling Growler.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I must say, it has not been a smooth ride being a young, black female trying to break into the winemaking industry. The wine industry has been a white male-dominated industry from inception. Continuously, I’ve had people ask me “Why do I think I could successfully own a wine company?” When seeking opportunities to launch, grow, expand, or scale so many doors have been closed shut in my face, forcing me to remain innovative in order to survive. When the process began for me to seek out bars or restaurants to serve Kemorene Wines, 90% of the time the response was “No!”

That innovative thinking led me and my husband to establish our own bar and art gallery called Sugar Plum and the Grumbling Growler! We saved up our money to have just enough to obtain a space where we could serve Kemorene Wines ourselves without begging others to take a chance on us. We were so motivated and ambitious; we knew we had to bet on ourselves!

After that plan was set in motion, we were hit with another challenge. Our township hit us with a building lean because of a beautifully designed mural painted on the side of our building. This dynamic and unique piece of artwork added so much spirit and positive vibes to our community. We were disappointed that the city high powers did not agree but instead decided to make things difficult for two young black business owners. The building lean would have caused me to let go so many of my staff members, so instead of being the problem solvers we are, we just moved.

Being an experienced business owner now, I strongly believe my gender, age, and race has a lot to do with the setbacks I’ve endured while breaking into the industry of wine. It is my desire and passion to share my story as well as resources with other like-minded intelligent black businesswoman so they do not have to endure the same level of discrimination.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Kemorene Wines – what should we know?
Kemorene Wines was imagined from our passion for discovering great wine and sharing it with dynamic people. While traveling the globe, we have encountered incredible people of all backgrounds and cultures who also share the same passion and love for wine. Over numerous conversations and glasses raised, wine has served as the all-mighty conversation starter and relationship builder.

One of our most memorable visits was to Napa Valley, where we fell in love with the land and the locals’ deep love for their vineyards. With vines stretching as far as the eye can see, it inspired an idea that one day we would own and operate our own winery. With the help of experts in Napa Valley, Kemorene Wines was born. We focus on legendary properties and a handcrafted approach, providing wine lovers delicious and memorable interpretations.

Kemorene Wines is proudly owned and operated by women. Parallel to the symbolism of the name Kemorene — we believe that all women are mysterious, magical, highly gifted, bound to think, reflect and develop their inner wisdom. We want women to drink our wine and feel like they can move mountains.

Our unique labels represent all cultures of women, celebrating diversity and embracing the spirit and tenacity of women throughout the world. We hope our handcrafted wines will make you reflect on the amazing women in your life and raise a glass in their honor and share the bottle with people you love. Our collection right now includes Napa Valley California wines; a Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sparkling White, with a red blend and white blend dropping soon!

This summer, Kemorene Wines will release a new White Blend and a Red Blend. Ultimately, our plan for Kemorene Wines is to be a global brand. We already have the ability to ship wine globally. Our first step to making that happen is gaining distribution in local liquor stores all over the United States to sell our wine products on shelves in the stores. In order to make this happen, we must build relationships with the liquor distributors and grow our brands’ influence nationally. Due to the events of COVID-19, we have gained recognition in Australia, Canada, and England. We are looking to become a brand known all over the world.

Some of my proudest moments in business would be that I have been able to establish multiple businesses without any loans. My husband and I have made endless sacrifices for our brands. We save every penny to finance our businesses. Being able to sustain in this industry and keep my brands afloat through all of the adversity we’ve faced along the way is certainly an ongoing proud moment for me. I feel extremely blessed to be able to continue making, selling, and growing my product. Although I missed the opportunity to be the first Black woman in the industry, I am grateful to be in the room!

I have fought through so much adversity in my journey as a winemaker, I was practically forced to create a space to sell and serve my brand. My husband and I brainstormed together and came up with the idea to open a bar. Our idea was to create a space where everyday people from all walks of life could have a place to enjoy wine, beer and interactive art. I am so proud to have created just that. Sugar Plum and Grumbling Growler is a space people can enjoy great wine and beer while showcasing their art.

The 2020 events with COVID-19 have forced us to pivot our business model temporarily. Because of COVID-19, I have had to close the doors to my bar and yoga studios where I served and sold my wine brand. Thankfully, we are still able to ship products to those who support and enjoy the wine we bottle! While hundreds of businesses are suffering, I am able to pivot my company and expand knowledge of my brand to other countries. Since COVID-19, I have been able to ship wine all around the world, England, Canada, and Australia. I am immensely grateful to be able to continue making and selling my product line.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
My journey as a businesswoman has taught me a lot about myself and life in general. Each setback I have experienced has taught me patience. We set goals and work hard towards our goals just to have a setback happen, which tries to disrupt all of our hard work. It was patience that kept me moving forward. There were so many times I could have and wanted to give up. Learning patience and having resilience has kept Kemorene Wines progressing forward. I have learned on this journey that big decisions hurt but when you are able to look back at them and see the reward, it makes it worth the struggle.

I also came to the realization that I can not do everything by myself. I need a team. I had to learn to balance my life and utilize the resources available to me. I have a team in business and in my personal life. I am not just a businesswoman, I am also a Wife, Mother, Sister and Daughter. I am responsible for the lives of other people. I have a team to help me balance both business and personal affairs. I don’t know what I would do without them.

There are so many imperfections in my journey, so many upsets, but I would not change anything. Each disappointment leads to having better decision-making ability. We have had so many hard times that forced us to be creative, innovative, and ambitious. Anything worth having is worth the sacrifice. We have evolved in our business so much because of the trials and triumphs we’ve experienced along the way. It’s what gives our journey character and sets us apart from other brands.

Pricing:

2014 Kemorene Cabernet Sauvignon $85.00 per bottle
2015 Kemorene Chardonnay $85.00 per bottle
SPANDGG Wine & Beer Club Memberships $12.99 – $129.95

Contact Info:

Website: https://kemorenewines.com/
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kemorenewines/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kemorenewines/
Other: https://www.spandgg.club/

Image Credit:
Crank Photography

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