In this episode we had the pleasure of speaking with Donae Burston Founder and CEO of La Fete du Rosé. In this episode we speak to Donae about:
Donae’s Bio
Donae Burston is a luxury wine & spirits leader with over 15 years of industry experience.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Donae achieved a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Mathematics from Clark Atlanta University in 1998. He concurrently completed a second degree in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech, before he began his career in the information technology sector, initially consulting on Healthcare Systems. In 2003, Donae entered the alcohol industry, working on the promotional side of a number of iconic brands in the U.S, before he joined the luxury group, LVMH. During his 10+ years with the company, he worked across brands such as Dom Perignon, Veuve Clicquot, Ruinart, Moet & Chandon, Belvedere Vodka and Hennessy Cognac. While with LVMH, in 2011, Donae created the first-ever luxury champagne bar in a sports arena at American Airlines Arena during the Miami Heat’s championship run. In 2016, Donae became the Regional Director of the Southeast U.S, Caribbean and Latin America regions of Armand de Brignac Champagne in which he was responsible for the brand’s commercial and marketing goals in each territory. While with Armand de Brignac, he achieved a 206% increase of sales in the Southeast U.S. for the brand.
Throughout his career, Donae found that in general, the wine industry was not embracing the multicultural consumer (in messaging, marketing/event participation, social media, etc). As an African-American man himself, he wanted to create a quality product inspired by his zest for life and travel that honed in on catering to the margin that had been overlooked, particularly when it came to rosé. With a commitment to create a St. Tropez rosé that is both authentic and exceptional, in 2017 Donae went directly to the esteemed Domaine Bertaud Belieu winery. After several trips and a number of blending and tasting sessions, in summer 2019, La Fête du Rosé was born - a brand that speaks to all demographics with a focus on targeting the multicultural audience; hence the name “La Fête” – which translates to “the rosé party” – one that everyone is invited.
Donae splits his time between Miami and Atlanta, where he lives with his fiancée and their 2 year old son, Noah.
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Social Media:
Instagram: @lafeterose
Facebook: @lafeterose