Kristin Olszewski

A HOSPITALITY HEART. Kristin Olszewski is a hospitality person to her core. “I get such a high from interacting with a group of people, taking care of them, and making sure they’ve had a perfect experience,” she says. Her company, Nomadica—exceptional and eco-conscious wine accessible to all—is the result of Kristin trusting her instincts and shaking off expectations.

The story of Nomadica can be traced back to Kristen’s grandparents. Farmers who moved to America from Quebec, her memories of her grandfather involve being in the garden, growing tomatoes, and experiencing the exceptional taste of homegrown produce for the first time.

Kristin grew up in Western Massachusetts, a place she fondly remembers for its strong community of women. Her family was religious but, in her teens, she became a radical young feminist, inspired by her favorite band Sleater-Kinney. Attending protests and finding community through politics were pivotal experiences for her. In college, she majored in sustainable agriculture, and the experience—from managing a community garden that supplied a vegan restaurant to conducting a capstone project on non-formal education in under-served communities—was foundational.

FROM FINE DINING TO WINE EXCELLENCE. Kristin’s college years led her into the world of fine dining, where she discovered the concept of wine pairings for the first time. “My family didn’t drink much—wine was something I thought was for rich people,” she recalls. One early standout moment with wine was when a sommelier poured her a glass that perfectly complemented a dish. “It was like, mind blown. I still can taste it.”

Kristin’s wine knowledge grew as she worked with talented professionals across America. Yet, she struggled with confidence. “Being the first in my family to go to college, I felt insecure about being seen as intelligent,” she admits, which led her to start a pre-med post-bac at Harvard. During summers, she worked at a renowned restaurant in Nantucket, where she met Felicia Foster, an ESPN sports announcer turned wine bar owner. Felicia’s unconventional life and eventual ALS diagnosis profoundly impacted Kristin. “It felt like someone slapped me in the face. I realized how short life was and how much I loved the wine industry.” This realization propelled her to pursue a full-time career in wine.

SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION IN WINE. Kristin founded Nomadica in 2018. During her research, she discovered that the majority of a wine bottle’s carbon footprint comes from the bottle itself. Determined to change this, Nomadica launched as the first high-end wine-in-a-can company, reducing the carbon footprint by 60%. Their wines are also sustainably farmed, sugar-free, and minimally processed.

However, transitioning from sommelier to entrepreneur was not easy. “I approached many winemakers who laughed me out of the room,” she recalls. Her breakthrough came when the wine director at the Nomad Hotel in Los Angeles embraced her product. “That moment was pivotal— it opened so many doors for us,” she says.

THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT. Nomadica continues to thrive, and Kristin believes a big part of its success is down to a deep understanding of their customer base, many of whom identify as LGBTQIA+. The campaign for their recently launched orange wine features a diverse range of ages, ethnicities, and sexualities. “Much of the wine industry is worrying about how to get young consumers back into the category, and it’s because they’re not talking to their customers,” she explains. “Diversity, equity, and inclusion are more than just checking a box; it allows you access to how the community wants you to show up in their spaces.”