Heritage Sidebar AOWilosn
A successful vineyard requires a winemaker with knowledge, passion and hard work in the fields to create an outstanding and memorable wine. At A.O. Wilson, we have a long history of these same qualities that have made us a trusted source for every winemaker’s processing and packaging needs in the industry.
Just as a winery is born from a single grape seedling, we have been growing for nearly 75 years to where we are today, born from a single idea by the founder, A.O. Wilson himself.
In 1945, he saw that there was a demand in the brewing industry that needed to be met. The industry was booming, largely due to the fact that Prohibition in the U.S. had come to an end and had been over in Canada since the 1920’s. Since then, we have steadily grown, evolved and transformed into a 100 per cent Canadian business that we con-tinue to be proud of today.
Similar to the attention that winemakers must pay to their vines, by providing plenty of room for growth, pruning and watering their fruit, we have always paid great attention to the needs of the industry.
The 1970s were a huge period of growth for wineries in Canada. It was during this time that A.O. Wilson began to expand into this sector, with the younger A.R. Wilson taking a major role alongside his father. There was a reason for this shift in focus. After prohibition, Canada had issued a moratorium on new winery licenses, but the act was re-pealed in 1974. This led to the sudden rise of winemakers across the country and A.O. Wilson grew alongside them.
By building partnerships with key leaders in the area, we were able to assist the growth of small wineries in Canada by offering the same technological advantages possessed by already-established wineries. This edge helped newcomers deal with the various challenges unique to Canada, such as its colder climate and growing conditions.
As technology for the wine industry has advanced, we have stayed with it every step of the way. During the early 1980s, the Canadian brewing industry was almost entirely controlled by its three largest companies: Molson, Labatt and Carling O’Keefe. There was not much variety and, as a result, beer lovers began to get tired of the available styles. Local brewpubs started to open, particularly in BC and Ontario, selling hoppier beers, stouts and more creative flavours to the public.
Wilson Family
The rise of craft beer began in the early 1990s and continues to be a trend within the beverage industry today. Buying from micro-breweries is an idea that aligns closely with the values of the modern consumer, who place a premium on locally-sourced food and drink. The same holds true for a growing number of craft distilleries and cideries offering world class, premium products. For all size businesses, A.O. Wilson’s inventory and experience continues to provide a “one stop shop” resource that can be relied upon in any scenario.
At the start of the new millennium, R. Graham Wilson took over the business from his father, bringing a third generation of leadership and transitioning A.O. Wilson into this new era. Just as grape vines have the ability to produce versatile fruits, we have expanded our product range of closures, capsules, equipment, enology and sanitation prod-ucts, filtration equipment and media. Since many of our products come from overseas, we maintain a huge inventory in our 20,000+ square foot warehouse facility, located in Erin, Ontario. We love our customers so much that we also do regular deliveries to the Niagara Region, GTA and in the busy months, Prince Edward County - free of charge.
Our greatest achievements are the strong partnerships that we’ve formed between international suppliers and local producers. The quality of these products is an advantage we pass on to our customers within Canada. Family-owned and operated, A.O. Wilson brings a per-sonal touch, generations of expertise, and the reliability that comes along with that legacy.
There is no greater pleasure than seeing the fruits of your labour. For a winemaker, that is drinking a glass of deliciously crafted wine and for us, it is seeing that wine in a beautiful package that includes one of our products.
Growing alongside our customers since 1945 is truly our greatest compliment.
You can check out our ever expanding range of products to the food and beverage industry on our e-commerce site at www.aowilson.ca or call us toll-free at 1-855-857-1511 and speak to one of our qualified customer service team members.
