Valentine Distilling Co. in Ferndale is now distributing to stores in New York and preparing to go into Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Connecticut while a Detroit Red Wing has come on board as brand manager.
Rifino Valentine, owner and operator of the business, says Eddie Mio, former Red Wing, assistant GM for the Phoenix Coyotes and a part of hockey great Wayne Gretzky's Gretzky Estates Winery, will use his experience to guide Valentine through growth that's been on a steep incline since opening in 2009.
With the three new states and the District of Columbia as new markets, Valentine's product line, which includes Liberator Gin and Woodward Whiskey, will be sold now in seven states. Connecticut will come online in September and Maryland and D.C. will follow in October, he says.
The distillery, which also has a tasting room on Vester Street in Ferndale, brought in a new still earlier this week to keep up with production, Valentine says.
Valentine Vodka has won national and international awards since the first bottle was filled four years ago. The tasting room opened in 2011 and nearly 2,000 stores in several states stores now sell the vodka made in small batches in downtown Ferndale.
Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Rifino Valentine, founder, Valentine Vodka
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