California’s Bronco Wine Co has appointed Daniel Leonard as CEO following the death of Fred Franzia earlier this month.
Leonard, who has been with the company for 35 years, transitions from his current role of CFO. The privately-owned company, best known for the success of its Charles Shaw wine brand earlier this Century, has handed Leonard the responsibility for implementing its ‘2023 Strategic Plan’, which was unveiled this year.
The move takes immediate effect after Franzia, who co-founded Bronco with his two brothers and cousin in 1973, passed away on 13 September at the age of 79.
Charles Shaw debuted exclusively in multiple retailer Trader Joe’s in California in 2002. Priced at US$1.99 per bottle, the brand subsequently became known as ‘Two Buck Chuck’ and, coupled with Franzia’s often-controversial remarks about California’s wine industry, cemented Bronco’s reputation as a colourful brand owner and Franzia’s “iconoclast” status.
Today, Bronco owns in the region of 100 brands.
