Oliver Winery expanding in Bloomington
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Bloomington-based Oliver Winery & Vineyards is growing its operations, the winery announced Wednesday. Due to increasing demand, Oliver is investing $12.6 million to purchase additional equipment and add 21 jobs by the end of 2026.
The winery said the 2021 partnership with New York-based NexPhase Capital LP has helped accelerate the company’s growth, including the release of new products and increased distribution across the U.S.
The Indiana Economic Development Corp. is offering Oliver Winery up to $370,000 in Hoosier Business Investment tax credits, which the company will not be eligible to claim until Hoosier workers are hired for the new jobs.
Oliver currently has 100 employees in Bloomington, including 60 full-time and 50 part-time workers. A spokesperson told IIB the company is hiring for marketing, customer experience, manufacturing, and winemaking positions.
“We greatly appreciate the support we’ve received from city and state leaders,” CEO Julie Adams said in a news release. “We want to continue to grow as an Indiana-based brand, and we are confident the talent we need can be found in Indiana now and well into the future. We are committed to providing a culture and workplace that employees are proud to be a part of.”
Additionally, Monroe County has approved a personal property tax abatement for the project. Oliver plans to acquire and begin operating the new equipment in the coming year.
Last year, the winery opened a new, state-of-the-art building that houses 10 large fermentation tanks, with capacity for a total of 50, as well as a new bottling line. The spokesperson said the company plans to increase on-site warehousing space by 15,000 square feet for a total of 45,000 square feet of capacity.
Oliver Winery is Indiana’s oldest and largest winery, dating back to the 1970s, and was named in February by Wine Business Monthly as the 28th largest winery in the U.S. The company’s products are distributed to more than 40 states.
The 2021 investment by NexPhase Capital saw Adams promoted from president to CEO. Co-founder Bill Oliver continues to serve on the winery’s board of directors.
In a September 2021 interview on Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick, Adams said the introduction of Moscato products had become a big hit, outselling the previous top sellers in the Bloomington tasting room.
The winery said new products such as the Melon Mint Moscato, along with its mainstays like Oliver Sweet Red, have fueled the company’s continued success, and the NexPhase investment continues to support increased distribution of its Soft Wine Collection, Real Fruit Moscato wines and the Porch Swing brand.