Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science

What Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science does

The Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science is a university research and education institute housed within the University of California, Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Founded in 2001 with a $25 million gift from Robert Mondavi, the institute serves as the physical and programmatic home for the UC Davis Departments of Viticulture and Enology and Food Science and Technology, along with three Centers of Excellence: the UC Davis Olive Center, the Honey and Pollination Center, and the Center for Wine Economics. Its facilities include the world's first LEED Platinum-certified teaching and research winery, the August A. Busch III Brewing and Food Science Laboratory, the Jess S. Jackson Sustainable Winery (the first zero-carbon emission winery), a 5,000-vine teaching vineyard with nearly 300 grape varieties, the California Processing Tomato Industry Pilot Plant, a Milk Processing Laboratory, the Silverado Vineyards Sensory Theater, and the Good Life Garden, together comprising roughly 129,000 square feet of academic complex plus a 34,000 square foot pilot facility.

The institute serves three primary customer segments: students (undergraduate and graduate), the food and beverage industry (research collaborations and trained workforce), and the general public (sensory studies, tastings, and educational events). Its revenue model is multi-stream: philanthropic support through the Friends of the RMI tiered membership program ($250 to $2,500 annually), event revenue from the TASTE fundraiser, Sips and Bites tastings, Forum talks, Savor lectures, and the Walt Klenz Wine Business Lectureship Series, and government/grant funding from the University of California system and research grants. The institute also generates limited revenue through the UC Davis Bookstore selling olive oil and honey products from its centers.

The institute's go-to-market is event-driven and community-led, hosting public tastings, lectures, and fundraisers while engaging audiences through a multi-channel presence including social media, a monthly newsletter, a blog, and virtual tour videos. Strategic corporate relationships with Treasury Wine Estates (Walt Klenz Lectureship sponsor), Anheuser-Busch Foundation, and Whole Foods Market (Honey Center supporter) anchor its philanthropic infrastructure. The institute is led by Director Edward "Ned" Spang, appointed in 2023, and operates as a non-profit government entity with no equity or venture capital exposure.

Name

Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science

Legal name

Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science

Website

https://rmi.ucdavis.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science is a UC Davis research and education institute founded in 2001 that houses the Departments of Viticulture and Enology and Food Science and Technology, operating world-first LEED Platinum-certified winery, brewery, and food processing facilities for students, the food and beverage industry, and the public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education and Agricultural Research

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Grape Vineyards (111332), Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAFAAAB

Wine Production & Winemaking

Agriculture & Food Production/Beverage Production/Alcoholic Beverage Production (Beer, Wine, Spirits, Cider)

SECONDARYEDAOAKAH

Bar & Beverage (Bartending/Mixology/Coffee/Tea)

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Culinary Arts, Baking & Food Service Training

SECONDARYTHAJAGAD

Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Food & Drink Experiences (Culinary Tours, Tastings, Cooking Classes)

SECONDARYAFAGAJAL

Vineyard Certification & Sustainability Programs (Organic, Biodynamic, Regenerative, GAP)

Agriculture & Food Production/Crop Farming/Viticulture & Vineyard Operations (Grapes for Wine/Table)

Keywords

• Wine science education
• Brewing science research
• Food science academic
• Sensory science facilities
• Viticulture and enology

Headquarters

HQ city

Davis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Support: The institute receives donations through the Friends of the RMI program with tiered membership levels (Gourmand $2,500, Reserve $1,000, Vintage $500, Culinary $250) and general giving campaigns
2. Event Revenue: Revenue from tasting events, fundraiser events like TASTE, and ticket sales for educational programming
3. Government and Grant Funding: University of California state funding and research grants supporting the Departments of Viticulture and Enology and Food Science and Technology

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science is an educational and research complex at UC Davis that houses the Department of Viticulture and Enology, the Department of Food Science and Technology, and three Centers of Excellence (Olive, Honey and Pollination, Wine Economics). It operates LEED Platinum-certified teaching and research facilities including a winery, brewery, food pilot plant, milk processing laboratory, sensory theater, and a 5,000-vine teaching vineyard. The institute delivers public programming (Sips and Bites, Forum, Savor, Walt Klenz Lectureship, TASTE fundraiser) and partners with the food and beverage industry on research, workforce training, and product development.

Product overview

The Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science is an educational and research complex at UC Davis consisting of state-of-the-art teaching and research facilities and public event programming. The core facilities include the LEED Platinum-certified Teaching and Research Winery, August A. Busch III Brewing and Food Science Laboratory, Jess S. Jackson Sustainable Winery (first zero-carbon emission winery), Teaching Vineyard, North/South/Sensory Buildings complex, California Processing Tomato Industry Pilot Plant, Milk Processing Laboratory, Food Innovation Lab, Good Life Garden, and the Silverado Vineyards Sensory Theater. Three Centers of Excellence operate within the institute: the UC Davis Olive Center, Honey and Pollination Center, and Center for Wine Economics. The institute also hosts public event series including Sips and Bites, Forum talks, Savor lectures, the Walt Klenz Wine Business Lectureship Series, and the annual TASTE fundraiser. The mission focuses on enhancing public understanding of wine, brewing, and food sciences through education, research, and outreach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Teaching and Research Winery
• August A. Busch III Brewing and Food Science Laboratory
• Jess S. Jackson Sustainable Winery Building
• Teaching Vineyard
• North, South, and Sensory Buildings
• California Processing Tomato Industry Pilot Plant
• Milk Processing Laboratory
• Good Life Garden
• Silverado Vineyards Sensory Theater
• Food Innovation Lab
• UC Davis Olive Center
• Honey and Pollination Center
• Center for Wine Economics
• Sips and Bites Event Series
• Forum: Talks on Food and Wine Sciences
• Savor: Lectures on Food and Wine
• Walt Klenz Wine Business Lectureship Series
• TASTE: Wine, Beer, Food and Music
• Friends of the RMI Membership Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 165,000 attendees at Terra Madre Americas 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Treasury Wine EstatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of the Walt Klenz Lectureship Series on Wine Business since its establishment in 2005. The endowment supports bi-annual lectures bringing wine industry leaders to UC Davis campus to share insights with students and the public.
• PBS KVIEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with UC Davis for An Evening with Pati Jinich event in fall 2025, hosting nearly 800 food lovers at the Crest Theater in Sacramento for a conversation with James Beard Award-winning chef.
• UC Davis HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with UC Davis Health to mobilize faculty, staff, and students for Terra Madre Americas event with dozens of panels, tastings, and demonstrations at the UC Davis Health pavilion.
• Slow Food InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUC Davis was represented throughout Terra Madre programming at the international culinary convergence in Sacramento, with RMI Director Ned Spang moderating a mainstage panel on the importance of small farms.
• UC Davis LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of the Savor: Lectures on Food and Wine series, partnering to advance shared commitment to supporting scholarship about food and wine at UC Davis and beyond.
• UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent college that houses the Robert Mondavi Institute and its constituent departments of Viticulture and Enology and Food Science and Technology.
• UC Davis Department of Viticulture and EnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld-renowned department housed within the RMI complex, credited with restarting California wine industry after prohibition, advancing wine industry for over 130 years.
• UC Davis Department of Food Science and TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest Food Science program in the country and only one with Ph.D. program in California, housed in RMI South building.
• UC Davis Olive CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCenter of Excellence dedicated to research, teaching, and education relating to olives and olive oil, doing for olives what UC Davis did for wine.
• UC Davis Honey and Pollination CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCenter focused on pollinator health, honey quality, and mead science, making UC Davis the world's leading authority on honey bee health and honey.
• Center for Wine EconomicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCenter focused on applied research, teaching, and outreach about wine economics and the economics of wine grape production and consumption.
• Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Uncorked wine tasting events held before select performances at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts.
• The UC Davis LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the Savor lecture series and home to Archives and Special Collections featuring wine-related materials.
• UC Davis Coffee CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst multidisciplinary university research center dedicated to addressing challenges and needs of the coffee industry.
• Cal Aggie Alumni AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Alumni Wine Showcase events connecting UC Davis wine industry alumni with current students and community.
• Davis Enology and Viticulture Organization (DEVO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent organization focused on connecting students with industry and supporting fundraising events.
• Food Tech Club at UC DavisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent organization providing extra-curricular learning and industry access within food science.
• UC Davis Graduate School of ManagementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing business education connections for food and wine industry students.
• Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of ArtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCampus partner collaborating on cultural events and community engagement.
• UC Davis Arboretum and Public GardensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Good Life Garden and campus sustainability initiatives.
• UC Davis Student Housing and Dining ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for food-related events and initiatives including campus dining collaborations.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves17 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cornell University Department of Food Science: Cornell's Department of Food Science is one of the top U.S. academic food science programs, comparable to UC Davis's Department of Food Science and Technology housed within RMI. Both deliver graduate education, industry-facing research, and Extension-style outreach to the food and beverage industry.
• Oregon State University Food Science and Technology: Oregon State's Food Science and Technology program is a peer land-grant food science department with strong industry partnerships, brewing/wine research, and Extension services that mirror RMI's industry-facing model.
• Washington State University Wine Science Center: WSU's Wine Science Center in the Tri-Cities is a directly comparable academic wine research and teaching facility serving a major U.S. wine-producing region, with a teaching winery, research programs, and industry partnerships analogous to RMI's Teaching and Research Winery.
• California State University, Fresno - Department of Viticulture and Enology: Fresno State's Department of Viticulture and Enology is a peer California institution with a commercial-scale teaching winery and a long track record of training industry-ready winemakers, directly comparable to UC Davis's Viticulture and Enology department within RMI.

Emerging players

• Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Wine and Viticulture Program: Cal Poly's Wine and Viticulture program is a younger but rapidly developing academic program with a teaching winery and industry-facing curriculum, overlapping RMI's educational mission for California's Central Coast wine region.

Regional players

• Brock University - Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute: Brock University's CCORI in Ontario is a leading academic wine research institute in Canada focused on cool-climate viticulture and enology, comparable in mission and structure to RMI but serving the Canadian wine industry rather than California.
• University of Adelaide - Waite Research Institute / Wine Science: The University of Adelaide's Wine Science and Waite Research Institute is a globally recognized academic wine and food science cluster in Australia. It is comparable in mission (wine/food teaching and research) but operates in a different geographic market.

Broad incumbents

• The Culinary Institute of America: The CIA is the U.S.'s premier culinary and beverage education institution. It overlaps with RMI on food and wine education and public-facing events but covers culinary arts much more broadly, without RMI's viticulture and enology research depth.

Others

• Wine Institute: Wine Institute is the California wine industry's trade association. It is thematically adjacent to RMI's wine research and policy outreach mission and frequently intersects with UC Davis Viticulture and Enology, though it is an industry body rather than an academic institute.
• Treasury Wine Estates: Treasury Wine Estates is both a sponsor of RMI's Walt Klenz Lectureship Series since 2005 and a major employer of UC Davis wine science graduates. It is not a peer in mission but is a key industry counterparty that benefits from and supports RMI's research and training.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/UCD_RMI
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC6N-zceyByO8cUeL_ub59lA?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/UCDavisRMI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/58759853
• Instagraminstagram.com/ucdavisrmi

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science