Colangelo & Partners, the New York-based communications agency built around wine and spirits clients, is entering its 20th anniversary year with a renewed push into the alcoholic beverage space — adding services, staff, educational programming, and support for wine advocacy campaigns.
Founder and President Gino Colangelo framed the move as a doubling-down on the vertical focus that has defined the agency since its founding. "Colangelo & Partners was founded as a vertically-oriented agency focused on wine and spirits," he said. "We've worked hard to be integral players in the alcoholic beverage space. That focus has paid off with steady growth and profitability over the past 20 years, even during challenging times like the financial crisis of 2008–9 and the headwinds the industry is facing now."
For restaurant and hospitality operators, the expansion signals that dedicated communications infrastructure around wine and spirits brands is growing — not contracting — even as broader beverage industry trends point to softening alcohol consumption among younger demographics. A well-resourced PR agency championing wine and spirits brands means operators can expect continued marketing investment from supplier partners, potentially translating into stronger co-op programming, staff training support, and on-premise promotional activity.
The timing matters. The alcoholic beverage category has faced notable pressure from the rise of no- and low-ABV alternatives, shifting consumer health priorities, and post-pandemic normalization of on-premise volume. That Colangelo & Partners reports consistent profitability across two decades — including through the 2008 financial crisis — suggests the agency has built a resilient client base among wine and spirits producers who continue to prioritize brand communications even in a tighter market.
The agency's expanded scope, which spans new service lines alongside staffing and education investments, also reflects broader momentum in specialized hospitality communications. Industry professionals tracking restaurant and hospitality marketing will recognize the pattern: niche agencies with deep category expertise are gaining ground over generalist firms as brands seek partners who understand the regulatory, cultural, and retail complexities of selling alcohol. Coverage of developments like this also appears in our sister publication Food & Beverage Magazine, which tracks supplier-side trends that shape on-premise strategy.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
