Naked Wines
Naked Wines is a publicly traded online wine retailer (LON:WINE) operating a direct-to-consumer subscription model across the UK, US, and Australia, serving 500,000+ members who fund independent winemakers in exchange for wines at up to 60% below retail.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersNorwich, United Kingdom
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Naked Wines does
Naked Wines plc is a publicly traded (LON:WINE) direct-to-consumer online wine retailer founded in 2008 and headquartered in Norwich, UK, with US operations based in Napa, California, and Australian operations in Sydney. The company connects wine consumers directly with independent winemakers through its Angel membership program, where members contribute $40 per month to a personal wine credit balance that funds advance production at independent wineries in exchange for access to those wines at up to 60% below typical retail prices. The platform serves 500,000+ active members across the UK, US, and Australia, supported by both a website (nakedwines.com) and native iOS/Android applications, and ships to most US states (excluding Arkansas, Delaware, Mississippi, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Utah, and parts of Virginia due to state alcohol regulations).
The underlying technology stack is a standard e-commerce platform augmented by a personalized wine recommendation engine that adapts to customer thumbs up/down ratings, the Wine Genie automated subscription service, and the Never Miss Out pre-order reservation system. Naked Wines integrates with Vivino for third-party wine ratings, supports Apple and Google social logins, and processes payments via PayPal. The business model combines two revenue streams: monthly Angel subscription fees of $40 that are redeemable against wine purchases, and direct wine sales revenue at price points differentiated between members and non-members. Distribution is exclusively online direct-to-consumer, with no physical retail or third-party wholesale partnerships.
The company has been named USA Today's #1 Wine Club for six consecutive years (2019-2024) and reports revenue of approximately £290 million for the fiscal year ending April 2024, down from the prior period. In July 2024, Naked Wines secured a $60 million credit facility with PNC Bank (replacing the prior Silicon Valley Bank arrangement) and a separate £47 million financial boost, and announced a share buyback program in early 2026. The firm operates with 251-500 employees and is led by CEO Nick Devlin with a CFO transition underway.
Naked Wines firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Naked Wines
- Legal name
- Nakedwines.com, Inc.
- Website
- https://nakedwines.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Naked Wines is a publicly traded online wine retailer (LON:WINE) operating a direct-to-consumer subscription model across the UK, US, and Australia, serving 500,000+ members who fund independent winemakers in exchange for wines at up to 60% below retail.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Naked Wines industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Wine Retail
- NAICS
- Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Alcohol Subscription Clubs & Membership Retail (CRANAAAI), Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants) (CRANABAB)
Keywords
Where Naked Wines is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Norwich
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Naked Wines business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Wine Sales: Direct-to-consumer wine sales through the NakedWines.com platform. Customers purchase wine cases (typically 6 or 12 bottles) using accumulated Angel credits or direct payments. Revenue generated from product transactions, with pricing varying between Angel members and non-members.
- Angel Membership Subscriptions: Monthly subscription at $40/month where members contribute to a wine piggy-bank. This funding supports winemakers and unlocks exclusive wines at preferential pricing. Revenue recognized as membership fees are converted to wine purchases.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Non-Member pricing at market rates with no monthly commitment |
| Subscription | Monthly | Angel Membership at $40/month with exclusive access and up to 60% off wines |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | First-time customer introductory offer: $100 off first case order |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Naked Wines product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Naked Wines is an online direct-to-consumer wine retailer that operates an Angel Membership program where members contribute $40/month to a wine credit account. In exchange, members receive access to wines from independent winemakers at up to 60% below traditional retail prices, bypassing the three-tier distribution system. The platform connects wine enthusiasts with a curated network of independent winemakers across the US, UK, and Australia, offering personalized recommendations, curated cases, and exclusive wines.
Product overview
Naked Wines operates as an online direct-to-consumer wine subscription platform connecting wine enthusiasts with independent winemakers. The core offering is the wine subscription service featuring the Angel Membership Program ($40/month) which provides up to 60% off wines through crowd-funded winemaker partnerships. The product portfolio includes Wine Genie (personalized subscription), Never Miss Out (wine reservation program), and pre-built starter cases with introductory discounts. The company has 500,000+ members and has been recognized as USA Today's #1 wine club for 6 consecutive years (2019-2024).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Angel Membership Program $40/month membership program where members (called Angels) fund independent winemakers and receive access to exclusive wines at up to 60% off market prices, plus monthly gift bottles, priority hotline access, and winemaker event invitations. Members accumulate credits to spend on wine cases of 6, 9, 12, or 15 bottles at their own pace, with no auto-ship.
- Wine Genie Automated personalized wine subscription that selects and sends wines based on customer preferences and ratings. Wine Genie learns from thumbs up/down and heart ratings over time to improve case selections. Customers can customize bottle count, price range, and frequency of deliveries.
- Never Miss Out Wine pre-order and reservation program allowing customers to automatically receive future releases of their favorite wines. Customers select quantity (6, 9, 12, or 15 bottles) and receive shipments when new vintages are released by their preferred winemakers.
- Top Rated Mixed Case Pre-curated mixed wine case featuring top-rated wines across multiple styles including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, Shiraz Viognier, Malbec, Pinot Noir, and Rosé, sourced from the platform's highest-rated independent winemakers.
- Smooth Reds & Crisp Whites Case Curated case featuring a balanced mix of red and white wines including Zinfandel, Côtes du Rhône, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and Malbec for customers seeking variety in approachable styles.
- Top-Rated Reds Case Pre-built case featuring all red wines from top-rated independent winemakers, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Côtes du Rhône, Tempranillo, Merlot, and Malbec from various regions.
- Everyday Rosé Favorites 6-Pack Curated 6-pack featuring rosé wines from France, Australia, and the United States, sourced directly from independent winemakers and offered at promotional pricing.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 60% savings compared to traditional retail wine pricing
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Naked Wines
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Naked Wines technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
AI capability2 records
Feature3 records
Naked Wines partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Naked Wines competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Laithwaites: UK-headquartered direct wine merchant and subscription club with a very similar model: exclusive independent-winemaker relationships, multi-bottle case shipping, and a repeat-customer club structure. It is the closest direct competitor to Naked Wines in the UK and ANZ footprint.
- Wine.com: Largest US direct-to-consumer online wine retailer, with case-based shipping, gift programs, and curated cases. Operates the Bright Cellars and Winc subscription brands and competes head-on with Naked Wines for the same US DTC wine customer.
- Bright Cellars: US wine subscription service that uses a taste-profile quiz (analogous to Naked Wines' Wine Genie) to match customers to personalized monthly cases. Same subscription mechanic, same target persona, and overlaps with Naked Wines' Wine Enthusiasts segment.
- Firstleaf: US wine subscription club with quiz-driven personalization and curated case shipments. Competes for the same value-conscious wine drinker as Naked Wines' Angel offering and shares the same DTC + membership model.
Broad incumbents
- Majestic Wine: UK high-street and online wine specialist chain with broad assortment and a commercial trade arm. Overlaps with Naked Wines on UK DTC wine and case shipping but adds physical retail and a much larger B2B channel.
- Total Wine & More: Largest US specialty retailer of wine, beer, and spirits with a large national store footprint and an online channel. Competes with Naked Wines on price and assortment, but its DTC subscription capability is far more limited.
Others
- Vivino: Crowd-sourced wine rating app whose ratings are surfaced directly on Naked Wines' product pages. It is an ecosystem enabler and a partial alternative discovery path for wine drinkers, not a direct retailer, but it influences purchasing decisions in the same category.
Emerging players
- 1-800-Flowers Wine: Online wine gifting and case retailer from the 1-800-Flowers portfolio, selling curated wine gifts direct to consumers. Overlaps with Naked Wines' gifting and case business but lacks the Angel subscription mechanic and independent-winemaker funding model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Naked Wines social profiles
Digital presenceNaked Wines financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Naked Wines leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Naked Wines subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Naked Wines funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Naked Wines M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Naked Wines
What does Naked Wines do?
Naked Wines is an online direct-to-consumer wine retailer that operates an Angel Membership program where members contribute $40/month to a wine credit account. In exchange, members receive access to wines from independent winemakers at up to 60% below traditional retail prices, bypassing the three-tier distribution system. The platform connects wine enthusiasts with a curated network of independent winemakers across the US, UK, and Australia, offering personalized recommendations, curated cases, and exclusive wines.
Is Naked Wines a public or private company?
Naked Wines is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Naked Wines founded?
Naked Wines was founded in 2012. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Naked Wines based?
Naked Wines is headquartered in Norwich, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Naked Wines make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Wine Sales are the primary driver. The others are angel Membership Subscriptions.
Who are Naked Wines's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Laithwaites, Wine.com, Bright Cellars and Firstleaf. Broad incumbents are Majestic Wine and Total Wine & More. Vivino is listed as an others. 1-800-Flowers Wine is listed as an emerging player.
Does Naked Wines have an API?
No public API is recorded for Naked Wines.
What industry is Naked Wines in?
Naked Wines's product category is Online Wine Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRANABAF, Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail), with a secondary code of CRANAAAI, Alcohol Subscription Clubs & Membership Retail. Its NAICS code is 445320 and its SIC code is 5180.