WE ARE PROUD WINE AFICIONADOS
Our mission is to make great wine easy to understand, access, and enjoy.
What we do & why it matters
Our love for wine goes beyond simply drinking it.
That's why we use our extensive industry experience and marketing expertise to assist wineries worldwide. Our team comprises a diverse group of wine industry professionals, including a viticulturist and a vineyard owner. Our combined knowledge — ranging from the impact of soil and climate on the flavour profile of grapes to the careful planning required for cellar door experiences — provides us with a unique understanding of how to navigate the distinct dynamics of the wine industry.
In addition to working with wineries, we also support various beverage brands — such as beers, spirits, and non-alcoholic options — through marketing and direct phone sales to drive sales and revenue.
Our STORY
In the year 2020, a global pandemic was dominating the headlines, and the wine industry was facing a crisis.
Former colleagues Kip McMillan and Charlotte Cels, who had previously worked together at Vinomofo, were both seeking new opportunities. During a rare break from lockdowns, they met for brunch in Melbourne and discussed the devastating impact the pandemic was having on the wine industry.
Together, they decided to start a marketing agency aimed at helping wineries—previous clients of theirs—sell their products online. Thus, Brunch was born. The rest is history.
The business rapidly expanded. Candid discussions with winemakers and owners highlighted ongoing challenges in sales and marketing. Over the next few years, the Brunch team doubled and then tripled in size, outgrowing its original office in Collingwood and relocating to Fitzroy.
In March 2023, Brunch acquired its renowned direct-to-consumer channel, establishing itself as Australia's largest wine sales and marketing agency and expanding its services worldwide.
Meet our leadership team
Kip McMillan
Director of Marketing
With over 20 years of global marketing experience, including a stint in Amsterdam managing web and mobile performance demands for a digital media sales house, Kip excels at developing and implementing comprehensive marketing and brand strategies. He co-founded the premium wine subscription site, One Wine, and is ready to toast to your success with a fine glass of Shiraz or whiskey.
Charlotte Cels
Director of Sales
Charlotte (you can call her Char) has over 15 years of experience in the wine industry. Char is the former Head of Business Development & Account Manager at Vinomofo. That’s where she created the direct-to-consumer channel, Vinodirect, which significantly changed how wineries do business with their customers. Flash forward to 2023, when Brunch acquired the channel – now Brunch Direct – in a beautiful full-circle moment. Char recently traded Melbourne for Chicago. If you’re ever in the area, hit her up for a riesling or Campari & soda.
John Clark
Director of Wine
John has been in the wine trade for 20 years. After working in wholesale sales in Melbourne, John moved to London to work with some leading importers. Back in Australia, he studied a Master of Wine Business at Adelaide University while also working at Voyager Estate. John later put his exceptional wine knowledge to good use as Head of Buying at Vinomofo. You can find John cycling through Melbourne’s inner north, on country trips with his family or enjoying a favourite bottle of champagne or chardonnay.
our core values
Transparency
We believe wine is for everybody. We know our stuff, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. You won’t find us using industry jargon in every conversation or over-relying on a decanter. We are transparent in the way we communicate and in the way we do business, too. From the outset, we ensure that we’re open and honest about who we are, what we can offer you, the outcomes you can expect, and the timeline for those results
Collaboration
We’re a team that works hard and makes every effort to empower each other. We work collaboratively on projects to achieve great results for our clients, leveraging each other’s strengths. Every client, every campaign, and every output is the shared responsibility of the entire team, not just one person.Because, at the end of the day, collaboration is what makes productivity go through the roof, and allows ideas to reach their full potential.
Growth
Where would we be without growth? We encourage ambition and challenge assumptions. We are proactive and resourceful, with a strong ability to recover from setbacks — just like the grape growers and wine producers we support. Our mission is to foster the growth of your business and contribute to the long-term success of the wine and beverage industry.
Passion
We spend a huge part of our life at work, so feeling passionate about what we do is a must. As the only creative agency around dedicated exclusively to wine and beverages, our passion drives us. Our journey began with a simple mission: to make wine more accessible to everyone during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, we have evolved into a one-stop shop for wineries, breweries, and distilleries seeking a holistic marketing approach. We have loved every stage of the journey. We are fluent in wine and fluent in fun.
Innovation
We take a different approach from other creative agencies by adopting a holistic model for sales and marketing. This paradigm shift allows us to view marketing campaigns as a cohesive whole rather than isolated tactics. It also reflects the way we see our work in general — as a space for innovation rather than imitation. We strive to be the innovators who introduce new methods, ideas or concepts, and ultimately change the industry for the better.
Education
We live and breathe the wine industry and love sharing our knowledge with others. We are curious to discover what other people know, so we listen and take the time to understand them before wine-splaining anything. Each conversation with a fellow wine industry professional is an opportunity to learn and grow. We actively seek to develop and share new ideas with all our clients, while carefully monitoring the impact of our work in the world.
Want to explore working together?
