Observed Signal · Mar 3, 2026 · Interview · Source: Adweek · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Total Wine's Growth Strategy: Intent-Based Leadership in Action
In an episode of the Brave Commerce podcast published by Adweek, Brian Gelb, senior vice president of wine and concierge at Total Wine & More, discusses how the retailer is growing share while the broader alcohol market faces headwinds. Gelb attributes his “intent-based leadership” approach to his military background; the model pushes decision-making downward, builds ownership, and requires teams to present recommendations rather than only problems. The conversation covers retailer–supplier friction, the importance of bringing customer insights into joint business planning, and Total Wine’s disciplined focus on service, selection, and competitive pricing. Gelb also describes assortment expansion into non-alcoholic, THC-infused, and emerging functional beverage categories.
Retail strategy and supplier-retailer alignment insights are relevant to commerce and retail-media stakeholders but this is a single executive interview rather than a platform policy, financial event, or technical release.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Brian Gelb is senior vice president of wine and concierge at Total Wine & More.
- Gelb describes an "intent-based leadership" approach that delegates decision-making and requires teams to present recommendations.
- Total Wine focuses on service, selection, and sharp pricing to grow share amid a challenging alcohol market.
- The retailer is expanding assortment into non-alcoholic, THC-infused, and emerging functional beverage segments.
- Gelb says retailer–supplier alignment improves when both parties start joint business planning with customer insights and a shared strategy.
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