Edmonton wine merchant raises money for Humane Society with custom wine label

David Gummer, the owner of the Edmonton-based Vines Riverbend Wine Merchants, has created a custom wine label as a way to do more than just sell bottles. The vintner is on his way to raising more than $10,000 for the Edmonton Humane Society (EHS) with a special line whose proceeds are donated to the Humane Society.

“I’d heard Sonoma’s Deerfield Ranch Winery had partnered with the Oceanic Preservation Society to help in efforts to save the dolphins in Japan and protect the world’s oceans,” Gummer told the Edmonton Journal. “They produced a striking special label with dolphins on it and I couldn’t help thinking of the lonely dogs in our Humane Society shelter waiting for a new home.”

For this project, Gummer designed custom labels using his Portugese Water Dog, Rafa, as a model for the animal rights oriented project. Rafa usually accompanies Gummer in his store.

The customized bottles feature a 2007 Sonoma County Red that is usually listed at $35, but for the sake of the project, the winery cut a special price with Gummer, allowing him to only sell the bottles for $31.

According to the Edmonton Journal, the EHS takes in about 13,000 animals a year with many requiring medical attention. Furthermore, the shelter must provide basic essentials to its animals such as food, water and heated shelter as well as spaying and neutering. As Shawna Randolph from the EHS told the Edmonton Journal, “Rafa is making a huge difference.”

Although Gummer’s wine retail may have been competitive before the specially designed Rafa label, the project has certainly helped boost business as the dog is now often recognized by locals when Gummer walks Rafa in dog parks. If other vintners or wine retailers wish to give back to their community while also increasing their brand, they may want to produce similar custom labels with a Primera LX400 color label printer.