How Barefoot Wine Became a Supermarket Bestseller

The story behind the brand's rise to success without traditional advertising

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey built the Barefoot Wine brand into a major player in the supermarket wine aisle, eventually selling it to industry giant Gallo. Their success came from listening to what grocery stores and average consumers wanted - a consistent, fruit-forward wine in a 1.5 liter bottle with an easy-to-remember name and logo. Barefoot achieved huge sales without traditional advertising, instead focusing on "worthy cause marketing" and winning competitions to get shelf space.

Why it matters

Barefoot's rise shows how a small, scrappy brand can disrupt an established industry by understanding and catering to the needs of mainstream consumers, rather than focusing solely on wine enthusiasts. Its success also highlights the power of distribution and getting shelf space in major grocery chains, as well as the importance of branding and marketing over just product quality.

The details

Houlihan initially tried to collect a debt by taking wine and bottling services, then set out to create a brand that would appeal to grocery stores. He chose the Barefoot name and logo, designed a 1.5 liter bottle with both red and white wine, and focused on making a consistent, fruit-forward product that would resonate with "average taste." Rather than advertising, Barefoot relied on winning competitions and "worthy cause marketing" to build awareness and get shelf space in stores. This unconventional approach allowed Barefoot to become a huge seller, eventually leading to Gallo acquiring the brand.

  • Barefoot was founded in the mid-1980s, when "wine was considered pretty snooty."
  • By the time Gallo acquired Barefoot, the brand was selling over 500,000 cases of wine per year.

The players

Michael Houlihan

Co-founder of Barefoot Wine, who helped build the brand into a supermarket bestseller before selling it to Gallo.

Bonnie Harvey

Co-founder of Barefoot Wine, who conceptualized the brand's simple logo featuring her own foot.

Jennifer Wall

Barefoot's first winemaker, who helped create the brand's consistent, fruit-forward style that appealed to mainstream consumers.

E. & J. Gallo Winery

The largest winemaker in the world, which acquired the Barefoot Wine brand after its tremendous growth.

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What they’re saying

“Nobody had ever asked the supermarkets what they wanted on the shelf.”

— Michael Houlihan, Co-founder, Barefoot Wine (nowandzin.com)

“If you have a number on your wine that's in the mid to high 80s or better, you have a better chance of getting on the shelf. However, we found what was even better was winning a contest, or getting a medal at a state fair.”

— Michael Houlihan, Co-founder, Barefoot Wine (nowandzin.com)

“We didn't just sell wine, we tried to make the world a better place through wine.”

— Michael Houlihan, Co-founder, Barefoot Wine (nowandzin.com)

What’s next

Houlihan's book "The Barefoot Spirit" is set to provide more behind-the-scenes details on how Barefoot built its distribution and marketing approach.

The takeaway

Barefoot's success shows how a small brand can disrupt an industry by focusing on mainstream consumer needs rather than wine snob appeal, and by using creative marketing tactics like competitions and "worthy cause" branding instead of traditional advertising.