Food & Wine Trails

What Food & Wine Trails does

Food & Wine Trails is a privately held, Milwaukee-based specialist travel agency that curates and sells wine-themed luxury cruises and culinary tours to affluent North American wine enthusiasts. The company operates as a tour division of Adelman Travel, leveraging the parent's travel-management infrastructure while maintaining its own brand and customer relationships. Its core product is multi-night wine cruises hosted by partner wineries on premium vessels, paired with sommelier-led onboard events, winemaker dinners, curated shore excursions, and pre/post-cruise land extensions.

The company books inventory through partnerships with three luxury cruise brands — Silversea, Regent Seven Seas, and Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection — and partners with named wineries (O'Brien Estate, Caldwell Vineyard, Foley Family Wines & Spirits) that co-host specific cruise products. Geographic coverage spans five continents, with featured itineraries including the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Baltic, and Oceania. Pricing is per-cabin double occupancy, ranging from approximately $6,699 for entry-level suites to over $56,000 for top categories, with most packages including beverages, gratuities, and specialty dining.

Food & Wine Trails earns revenue primarily through commissions on cruise bookings (transaction-fee model), with ancillary revenue from add-on shore excursions, custom trip planning, and private reserve programs. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via the company website, an 800-number, and email/newsletter marketing, supplemented by referral traffic from partner wineries and food publications. The company holds California Seller of Travel registration (CST# 2020386-40). No external funding, M&A activity, or public financial disclosure is present in the source material.

Name

Food & Wine Trails

Legal name

Food & Wine Trails

Website

https://foodandwinetrails.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Food & Wine Trails is a Milwaukee-based, privately held specialist travel agency and tour division of Adelman Travel that curates wine-themed luxury cruises and culinary tours for affluent wine enthusiasts across five continents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Culinary Travel Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Culinary & Wine Travel Agencies (THAKAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cruise + Culinary/Wine Stay Packages (THAEAHAM), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Luxury Yacht & Small-Ship Expedition Cruises (THAEABAF)

Keywords

• Wine cruise tours
• Culinary travel services
• Epicurean tour packages
• Luxury cruise booking
• Shores excursions

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Wine Cruise Bookings: Food & Wine Trails earns revenue by organizing and selling wine-themed cruise packages in partnership with major cruise lines. The company acts as a travel agency, earning commissions on cruise bookings made through their platform for Silversea, Regent Seven Seas, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and other cruise partners. Pricing varies by suite category and cruise duration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Food & Wine Trails is a specialized epicurean travel agency that organizes and sells wine-themed cruise packages and culinary tours in partnership with luxury cruise lines (Silversea, Regent Seven Seas, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection) and partner wineries. The company packages hosted wine cruises, curated shore excursions, pre/post-cruise land programs, and bespoke custom trips, billing customers on a per-person, per-suite basis.

Product overview

Food & Wine Trails is a specialized epicurean travel agency offering wine-focused cruise packages and culinary tours. The core product is wine cruises — luxury voyages hosted by partner wineries featuring exclusive onboard wine events, winemaker dinners, and curated shore excursions. The portfolio spans multiple cruise lines (Silversea, Regent Seven Seas, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection) and includes specific branded cruises hosted by individual wineries (O'Brien Estate, Caldwell Vineyard, Foley Family Wines & Spirits). Add-on offerings include independent shore excursions, pre/post-cruise land programs, and custom trip planning. The company operates as a tour division of Adelman Travel, primarily serving North American wine enthusiasts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wine Cruises Specialized cruise packages hosted by partner wineries and wine experts, combining luxury cruise accommodations with exclusive wine tastings, sommelier seminars, winemaker dinners, and vineyard-focused shore excursions. Targeted at affluent wine and food enthusiasts seeking immersive culinary travel.
• Shore Excursions Standalone curated, off-the-beaten-path shore tours focused on regional cuisine, fine wines, and local culture at cruise ports worldwide. Available to cruise and tour travelers seeking expert-led ground experiences.
• Custom Trips Bespoke land-based culinary travel programs designed for individuals and groups seeking personalized food and wine experiences not tied to a specific cruise departure.
• Land Programs Pre- and post-cruise land extensions including multi-night stays, city tours, and wine region experiences at destinations like Melbourne, Yarra Valley, Sydney, Copenhagen, and Stockholm.
• O'Brien Estate 2028 Down Under Wine Odyssey 14-night Silversea cruise from Auckland to Melbourne featuring O'Brien Estate wines, hosted tastings, winemaker dinners, and visits to New Zealand and Australian wine regions. Targeted at O'Brien Estate wine enthusiasts seeking a hosted Down Under cruise experience.
• Caldwell Vineyard 2027 Northern Europe & Baltic Cruise 7-night Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection voyage from Copenhagen to Stockholm featuring Caldwell Vineyard wines, exclusive onboard events, and Baltic port visits. Targeted at Caldwell Vineyard wine enthusiasts seeking a hosted Northern Europe cruise experience.
• Foley Family Wines & Spirits 2027 Spotlight Cruise 10-night Regent Seven Seas cruise from Rome to Barcelona featuring Foley Family wines, Spotlight wine events, complimentary shore excursions, and Mediterranean port visits. Targeted at Foley Family Wines & Spirits enthusiasts seeking a hosted Mediterranean wine cruise.

Quantifiable outcome

• Organizes wine cruises across 5 continents with partnerships covering all major luxury cruise lines

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SilverseacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSilversea is a major luxury cruise line partner that provides the vessel (Silver Moon) for Food & Wine Trails' wine cruise programs. Food & Wine Trails organizes exclusive onboard wine events, winemaker hosting, and curated shore excursions for Silversea cruises.
• The Ritz-Carlton Yacht CollectioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRitz-Carlton Yacht Collection provides the Evrima yacht for Caldwell Vineyard's Northern Europe wine cruise. The partnership offers luxury suite accommodations with butler service, fine dining, and spa amenities for wine enthusiasts.
• Regent Seven Seas CruisescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegent Seven Seas provides the Seven Seas Voyager for Foley Family Wines & Spirits' Spotlight Wine Cruise. Includes all-suite accommodations, unlimited beverages, specialty restaurants, and included shore excursions.
• O'Brien EstatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerO'Brien Estate is a winery partner hosting the 2028 Down Under Wine Odyssey cruise. Vintners Bart & Barb O'Brien personally escort the cruise with exclusive events including winemaker's dinner, wine seminars, and tastings.
• Caldwell VineyardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCaldwell Vineyard partners with Food & Wine Trails and Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection for a 2027 Northern Europe wine cruise. Proprietors John & Joy Caldwell personally escort the journey with private onboard events.
• Foley Family Wines & SpiritscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoley Family Wines & Spirits is the spotlight winery for a 2027 Mediterranean cruise. Hosts include VP of Winemaking Mari Wells Coyle and Managing Director - International Jay Gifford for exclusive onboard wine programming.
• Adelman TravelcoreOthersFood & Wine Trails is a tour division of Adelman Travel, a travel management company based in Milwaukee, WI. This corporate relationship provides operational infrastructure and travel industry expertise.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• AmaWaterways: AmaWaterways is a luxury river cruise line that operates its own wine-themed cruises and is listed on Food & Wine Trails' site. Comparable customer base (affluent travelers seeking food/wine enrichment) and overlapping wine cruise product, making it both partner and competing supplier.
• Tauck: Tauck is a long-established luxury tour operator with food and wine themed land and cruise itineraries. Comparable as a broader incumbent serving affluent travelers seeking expert-curated culinary and cultural experiences.
• Viking Cruises: Viking Cruises is a major river and ocean cruise line featuring wine-themed European itineraries. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving the same affluent, experience-oriented traveler with food/wine enrichment programming.
• Silversea Cruises: Silversea is a luxury ocean cruise line and a confirmed Food & Wine Trails vessel partner (Silver Moon for the O'Brien Estate 2028 cruise). Comparable as a broader incumbent offering luxury cruise experiences to the same affluent demographic, with capacity to disintermediate Food & Wine Trails via its own wine programming.
• The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection: Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is a luxury small-ship/yacht cruise brand and confirmed Food & Wine Trails partner (Evrima for the Caldwell Vineyard 2027 cruise). Overlaps on ultra-luxury cruise + curated wine experiences for high-net-worth guests.
• Regent Seven Seas Cruises: Regent Seven Seas is an all-suite luxury cruise line and confirmed Food & Wine Trails partner (Seven Seas Voyager for the Foley Family Wines 2027 Spotlight Cruise). Overlaps directly on luxury cruise + wine programming targeting affluent travelers.

Direct peers

• Cellar Tours: Cellar Tours is a boutique wine tour operator offering curated, sommelier-led wine region trips worldwide. It directly mirrors Food & Wine Trails' niche of combining luxury travel with hosted wine experiences for affluent enthusiasts.
• Winerist: Winerist is a wine travel marketplace connecting consumers to wine country experiences and tours globally. It overlaps with Food & Wine Trails on culinary wine travel demand, but distributes rather than fully curates experiences.
• BKWine: BKWine is a long-established wine tour operator specializing in guided trips to European wine regions. Comparable in focus (wine-centric curated travel) and customer profile (enthusiast-level wine travelers), though it leans land-based rather than cruise-based.

Emerging players

• Travelling Vineyard: Travelling Vineyard is a direct-to-consumer wine tasting party business with an emerging in-home tasting model. Partial overlap with Food & Wine Trails in targeting wine enthusiasts, but with a much more accessible, lower-ticket product and different delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/food_winetrails
• Facebookfacebook.com/foodandwinetrails
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/foodandwinetrails

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Food & Wine Trails