Unique graduate certificate offers perfect mix of expertise in wine, beer and spirits

Thirsting for a career in the thriving beverage industry? A new program from Niagara College’s trailblazing Canadian Food and Wine Institute offers aspiring business managers the perfect blend from its trifecta of beverage fermentation sciences: wine, beer and distilling.

Beverage Business Management is a one-year graduate certificate program, which will be the first of its kind in Canada when it launches in September 2021. An evolution of the College’s Wine Business Management program, the new program will offer students a robust business knowledge in all aspects of the alcoholic beverage industry – from retail and marketing, to exports, and the legal and regulatory environment.

“Beverage Business Management is a natural progression of the growth in our programming,” said CFWI dean Craig Youdale. “As home to Canada’s first commercial teaching winery, first teaching brewery and first teaching distillery, we are excited to build on our established production-based programs in wine, brewing and distilling, and unveil our first expanded offering from all three beverage sectors poised to break new ground across the country.”

The new program aims to prepare graduates to enter an increasingly hybridized beverage industry where spillover between winery, brewery, distillery operations are becoming more common – with wineries diversifying into craft breweries, distilleries and cideries, and craft breweries adding spirits to their offerings. At the same time, consumers are opting for greater choice as craft beers, spirits and ciders commonly pop up on tasting menus alongside wines.

“We’re seeing this trend globally and we want to ensure that we’re meeting this need. International students can apply what they’ve learned in their home countries as well,” said program coordinator Peter Rod. “It’s the new normal to look for candidates who are ‘jacks of all trades’ prepared with the most up-to-date skills and knowledge, who are able to pivot. Our graduates will be well positioned to do it all with knowledge from all three of these growing beverage sectors.”

The program will be based at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, which is the only postsecondary institution in Canada with learning enterprises from all three beverage sectors on campus as ‘living labs’ for students, including College’s Teaching Winery, Teaching Brewery, Teaching Distillery and Wine Visitor + Education Centre(retail).

“We are the only postsecondary institution in Canada that has the expertise in all three beverage sectors on campus,” said associate dean, CFWI Gary Torraville. “We have the facilities. We have the equipment. We have the experts. This is what makes the CFWI unique.”

The program is expected to attract professionals who wish to learn broader concepts on the business aspect of the beverage industry to progress into management, as well as those intrigued by the industry and interested in launching a career. It’s also an opportunity for graduates from the College’s wine, beer and distilling programs to build on their credential with a new business management graduate certificate, which focuses on three sectors.

“While business is incorporated in our Winery and Viticulture Technician, Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management, and Artisan Distilling programs, they are more practical and production based,” said Torraville. “By enrolling in the Beverage Business Management graduate certificate program, students really have an opportunity to ignite their passion and 100% focus on business.”

Students will study the sensory evaluation of beer, spirits and wines; the legal and regulatory environment; and employee and financial sustainability for the beverage alcohol industry. They will also learn about the essentials of beverage alcohol production, innovative sales and marketing, supply chain management, quality assessment, strategic market and brand analytics, and enterprise innovation and entrepreneurship. The program culminates with a capstone research/ thesis project where students tackle a problem in the spirits, beer or wine business while teaming up with an industry partner or using real-life case studies.

Registration is now underway for the Beverage Business Management program, which has a 40-student capacity for its first intake during the Fall term. Those interested may attend a virtual campus tour, book an online info session, request program information, or contact NC.

Niagara College offers more than 130 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs; as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Part-Time Studies courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, distilling, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit niagaracollege.ca.

Photo: Faculty member Peter Rod, Canadian Food and Wine Institute dean Craig Youdale, and CFWI associate dean Gary Torraville hold up wine, beer and spirits respectively from the College’s on-campus learning enterprises. The new Beverage Business Management program launching in September 2021 will leverage the College’s expertise in all three beverage sectors.