Category: Current Issue

Delta Dirt Distillery

Cyndi

Deep Rooted, Family-Based, and Globally Recognized

Harvey and Donna Williams holding their vodka bottles

By Gerald Dlubala

It’s probably one of the most frustrating and head-scratching yet rewarding and fulfilling things I’ve been involved with,” said Thomas Williams, head distiller at Delta Dirt Distillery, about the journey of getting Delta Dirt Distillery from its days of a “what if” idea to its present-day status as an award-winning, internationally acclaimed distillery in downtown Helena Arkansas.

  Thomas’s parents, Harvey and Donna Williams, are the co-founders of Delta Dirt Distillery. They were high school sweethearts who eventually married and moved their family away due to Harvey’s corporate career as an agricultural engineer. Harvey had always wanted to come back home to the Delta region and start a business that somehow incorporated the family farm. How that would be possible and what that business would look like was still a question mark.

  Harvey and his brother had many conversations around the farm, discussing the growing of vegetables and the latest trends based on information gained from a recent vegetable grower’s conference. The theme of the conference that year was sweet potatoes and the possibilities surrounding their various uses. Some of the conversations turned to using sweet potatoes in the distillation of vodka. Harvey thought that it was a cool and unique idea, something different that not many others considered.

  “That sparked an idea, and he went down the rabbit hole of research upon research and distillery visit after distillery visit,” said Thomas. “Eventually, after a couple of years, my mom let him know that it was time to make a choice, meaning start the distillery or just let it go. So, Delta Dirt was incorporated in 2017, and we were now an official business. We started the journey of purchasing and renovating an old downtown building. Then, it was time to buy the equipment and start formulating our first product, Sweet Blend Vodka.

Four Generations of Farming

  While the Williams family have no direct experience in producing distilled spirits themselves, it does run in their bloodlines. Harvey’s grandfather, “Papa” Joe Williams, was the patriarch who sharecropped the family’s original 86 acres back in the 1800s. His son, U.D. Williams, farmed the same acreage but also made moonshine in a still tucked into the woods on the family farm. With the money he made from cotton and making moonshine, U.D. Williams was able to do something remarkable. In 1949, he purchased the family farm out of sharecropping.

  “The story goes that once he purchased the farm, he quit making moonshine and buried the equipment,” said Thomas. “I’ve heard all of the stories, but we never recovered any of his original moonshine recipes or instructions. I wish we would’ve. It would’ve made my job a little easier if I had a recipe to at least get started. The recipes I use are formulated and made from scratch based on research and a lot of trial-and-error.”

  Although no moonshine recipes were found, a lone remaining jug from U.D. Williams’ moonshining days is proudly displayed at the distillery.

Unique Spirits Lead to Immediate Awards and International Recognition

  Delta Dirt Distillery is a family-run business that grows its produce and grains in the same community and on the same clay-dirt family farm that has been in the Williams family for four generations. Harvey fills the role of CEO, while Donna is the Chief Brand Officer. Thomas is the head distiller, and Donavan handles the duties of Operations Manager. After nearly three years of trial and error, the Williams family released their Sweet Blend Vodka in 2020, distilled from a blend of sweet potatoes and corn grown on their family farm. Awards quickly followed in U.S. and international competitions, including winning double gold in 2022 and platinum honors in 2024 at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Sweet Blend Vodka is now considered one of the best distilled vodkas in the world.

  “Most people think that sweet potatoes will bring sweetness to the vodka,” said Thomas. “It does to some extent, but not as much as you would expect. It’s more of an earthiness with just a little hint of sweetness that mixes in all the best ways to produce a very smooth and unique tasting vodka. It’s hard to describe to someone who has never tasted it, but the combination of flavors comes through so beautifully in a spirit that makes it well balanced in something that you’ve never had before.”

•   Sweet Blend Vodka is Delta Dirt Distillery’s flagship spirit, featuring floral and fruity notes that present a complex aroma with a pleasing finish.

•   Tall Cotton Gin is crafted by hand with upfront notes of juniper and hints of floral, orange and coriander. It presents a light, airy mouthfeel upon tasting.

•   Sweet Roots Arkansas Brown is Delta Dirt Distillery’s version of bourbon whiskey. Although they can’t label it as a bourbon because the use of sweet potatoes in the mash disqualifies it from that category, Thomas says that it is produced following all the same practices and guidelines as bourbon whiskey. Sweet Roots Arkansas Brown is distilled from a blend of corn, sweet potatoes, rye, and barley. After aging, consumers will notice hints of caramel and subtle spice, along with the exceptional smoothness that Delta Dirt Distillery’s products have become known for. On the back of the label, Thomas honors the present family legacy with a picture of his parents, Harvey and Donna.

•   Deep Roots Arkansas Brown is a small batch release honoring the family’s past. It is dedicated to “Papa” Joe Williams, the patriarch of the Williams family. Consumers will notice his portrait, authentic signature, and description as “first generation landowner” on the back of every bottle label, ensuring his legacy lives on. Deep Roots Arkansas Brown is distilled, bottled, and released in limited quantities and generally sells out within hours. It ages longer and has a higher proof than the Sweet Roots Arkansas Brown and embodies the Williams family’s profound connection to the land they’ve cultivated for four generations and counting.

Educating Consumers and Supporting Local Community

  “I want our spirits to be an eye-opening experience and opportunity for our consumers,” said Williams, “From a new and distinctively good tasting product to the transparency of where the ingredients came from to make what’s in their glass, down to the actual field where the sweet potatoes were harvested. People always want to know where their food comes from, but that same desire to know isn’t yet present in spirits. We offer that to the consumer, showing them exactly where that alcohol comes from. Additionally, I want them to know how good the spirits in their glass can and should be. You should drink something because it’s really good and you really like it. Then you can fully enjoy it. I want people to drink and enjoy our spirits, thinking to themselves that what they’re having is truly exceptional. They’ll know exactly where it came from, how it’s uniquely different, and that, at the same time, they are supporting a lot of people here in Helena, Arkansas. This area needs some love, so part of our mission is to give back to the community that we’re rooted in, both physically and metaphorically. There aren’t many distilleries around here, so we know we’ll be some people’s first interaction and experience with this sort of spirit, so we try to educate. I love being the educational piece. I love educating visitors about our products and our region. I love answering questions because when someone has questions, that shows interest.”

  At the same time, Thomas says that they are in a somewhat depressed area, so it’s essential to support our local neighbors and give back to the community.

  “We are rooted here both metaphorically and physically,” said Thomas. “We have an opportunity to touch on a lot of different things with what we are doing.”

Named Attraction of The Year and Drawing Tourists from Across the World

  “We were only two years old when we were named Arkansas Tourism’s attraction of the year in 2023,” said Thomas. “That’s a testament to what we’ve created. We continue to build recognition as something unique to our area, but we also attract tourists from around the world. Usually, tourism in Arkansas means the Northwest region, which is the hub of entertainment and nightlife, but tourists are now heading here, to the opposite side of the state, just to visit us.”

  “The distillery features couches and a large three-sided bar, locally made by a craftsman behind our distillery,” said Thomas. “Visitors can see our entire production floor and process through a glass wall that highlights our showpiece, the copper pot still. We’ve doubled production every year since opening. We’ve expanded storage, improved our equipment, and actually have more new machinery on the way. The rich, clay-dirt farm is still in full operation. There are some squash and vegetables still planted, but sweet potatoes occupy most of the acreage space, all going toward the distillery.”

Working With Family Is Rewarding

“Being able to be successful while working with family is always special,” said Williams. “The headaches, at the end of the day, are worth it if you’re doing this with a purpose. If you’re trying to get into it solely to make money, you’re likely to be unsatisfied. Try to remain open to any unique possibilities that come your way, which may not be part of your original life plan, and turn those into something special. In my case, it’s touching that we can come together and do all this tough and time-consuming work together as a family. Every day is an adventure, and I’m really enjoying it.”

  For more information or to visit and tour Delta Dirt Distillery…

Delta Dirt Distillery

430 Cherry Street

Helena, Arkansas 72342

870-662-5709

customerservice@deltadirtdistillery.com

astronaut standing on moon holding a glass of beer

Revolution & Evolution of Our Drinking Culture

Cyndi

By: Hanifa Sekandi

It is 2025, hold on to your beverage marketing seats, this ride is about to get interesting. With health, wellness, and affordability at the top of consumers’ minds, beverage marketers must rethink their approach to appealing to consumers. Balance is key and this is what people seek. People are looking for beverages made with quality ingredients at affordable prices. The more in-know consumers become, courtesy of social media platforms like TikTok (which followers deem the people’s University) the more eyes will be on your brand and every detail will be scrutinized. The beverage industry is experiencing a revolution that requires brands to evolve and expand.

  Before diving into the future, it is essential to take an expedition back to the past and look at how beverage trends have evolved. Also, cultural shifts are new or borrowed from the past as trends tend to be cyclical (think wide-leg jeans and bell bottoms), simplifying their lives and but full of meaningful experiences. When looking at the popularity of the vintage consumer goods market and how vintage merchandise from beverage brands is valued, the adage “never throw out a timeless item” holds. Beverage brands have leveraged this and implemented elements from decades past marketing strategies into current campaigns. The rebirth of vintage merchandise will be a trend to watch. It will surely become popular among brands during this beverage revolution.

Beverage Marketing of Yesteryear

  A cultural shift brands will see in 2025 is value-added marketing. What does this mean? Brands must clearly state what value their beverage adds to their consumers. Marketing strategies need to be clear and concise. The pomp and circumstance that captivated consumers in the last decade is over. Even the luxury goods market is seeing a shift in consumer response to out-of-touch marketing campaigns or campaigns that push social issues while selling their products. Brands need to understand their place in the lives of their consumer. Brands that refuse to adapt to this shift will lose favor.

  What beverage brands can borrow from marketing strategies from the fifties to the nineties is relatability. During this time, beverage brands understood that it was their job to fit into the consumer’s lifestyle rather than trying to entice consumers to fit in with them or join a movement. Yes, adorning adverts with celebrities by beverage companies was certainly not unusual, but seeing everyday people in advertisements was the norm. Casting an unknown who would become the face of the brand appealed to the aspirational dream that anything is possible. Depicting families in wholesome interactions also demonstrated to consumers that family is the cornerstone of society and as a brand we are here to support this ideal.

  Consumers could see themselves in marketing campaigns, this would be more than enough. Modern marketing focuses on what could or should be. Who are brands to decide who or what consumers ought to be? This evolution will spur a revolution of consumers demanding their agency back and hence their buying power will teach brands now more than ever who they should be to their desired consumer. With this evolution, brands will become the student and the consumer the teacher.

Is the Party Over?

  It is not that people do not like to imbibe or celebrate over a good cocktail. The issue is that modern marketing has lost its connectivity. Consumers recognize this in every facet of consumerism. This has led them to look to the past. Their childhood, their parent’s childhood to find glimmers of simplicity and joy. Consumers desire relatability. When looking at an advertisement from Budweiser in the 1950s, the social milieu of that time is quite evident, stereotypical, at times questionable, sometimes even offensive and, for some, sexist. These advertisements not only performed well but also spoke authentically to the consumer because society was family focused. Beverage brands also knew that their beverage was an optional choice. Marketers knew they needed to position themselves as something that fit an existing lifestyle. This is the shift that is taking place in drinking culture. How does your brand fit?

  The working woman also wants to entertain her family or her significant other in the comfort of her home. She loves her independence but also loves having people to lean on. The modern man does not find joy in being alone at the bar. Modern advertisements that highlight single and lonely patrons at the bar do not speak to the sincere desire of consumers. People feel disconnected and desire connection. The idea that drinking alone is empowering will not support the evolution of drinking culture. Nor does it capture what people truly desire. Also, loneliness is not a trend. It is a state of being that most do not long for in their lifetime even with a drink in hand or otherwise.

  Ads that target a small segment of society to the greater whole should be abandoned. This does not mean that brands should not focus on their targeted consumers; it means that they should lean away from social ideals that do not reflect the consensus of the modern consumer. Moreover, marketing strategies should focus on lifestyle rather than current societal norms or politics. Customers are influenced by the choices of their peers and beverage companies should keep this in mind. Believing your brand is so influential that it controls how people feel about life and their decisions; is a road no brand should walk down in 2025 and onward.

Lifestyle Focussed Marketing

  Brands that seek inclusivity should consider this when crafting their beverages. Consumers desire access to products free from seed oils, harsh preservatives, and additives. It is about access and, therefore, should be quality regardless of the price point. Marketing your beverage at low prices with low-quality ingredients paired with a marketing strategy displaying that this brand is for everyone is misleading and dishonest. Everyone should have access to good-quality beverages made by brands that do not cut corners for profit.

  High-end brands are not simply aspirational because they signify an elevation of status. The appeal is also the quality of the beverage as it conveys vitality when consuming this beverage. Your beverage may contain low-quality sweeteners while other market choices consist of honey, monk fruit, or maple syrup. Understandably, you should consider costs when making a beverage and cheaper ingredients may save money in the short term, but as consumers become more knowledgeable about ingredients, it will impact sales and long-term profits. A seasonal beverage consisting of low-quality ingredients sold during the holidays may get a pass but one sold throughout the year may experience a dip in sales over time.

  It is essential to think ahead and move with the changing times. Reformulating your current product line is a good start. It will also allow your brand to revamp its branding and marketing strategies. New and improved campaigns perform quite well. It also demonstrates a commitment to your consumer.

  It has been a long time since brands have been under the microscope. The 2000s ushered in what consumers see today from beverage brands. Brands pushed the envelope with marketing campaigns. While doing so exhausted their budgets on being the next best beverage, and this worked. It complimented the culture of the time. Drinking culture is shifting once again. It is a fast-moving evolution that has its foot in the past but also the future. A future where people value the nostalgia of their childhood. A time when beverage brands were a fixture during sincere moments of joy and laughter.

woman smiling and checking brewery equipment

How Employee and Community Engagement can Lead to Better Sales

Cyndi

By: Earl Sullivan

The traditional model in business is sell at a higher value than your costs.  When things get tough, you cut your costs and that boosts your bottom line.  However, I take a very different approach to growing our bottom line. 

   I believe if you take care of your employee, they will take care of the customer and that will take care of the profit.  Employee engagement has multiple positive effects that extend beyond just the sales cycle.  By engaging with your employees, you get to understand just what makes them tick.  Are they purpose driven?  Are they money motivated? Are they seeking positive affirmation?  Each employee will have a different motivation and how you approach, coach and reward each of these people will be just as different as well.

  Housing insecurity and food insecurity are the two biggest stressors in hospitality workers lives.  If they were working shift work, depend on tips or if they are dependent on your business being busy to have hours, they will always have the risk of being without enough pay to meet the essentials.  Can you adjust your staffing to accommodate more consistent hours or fewer staff so that all the staff get more hours.  There is obviously a risk that if someone is sick and you do not have additional people to bring in, you can get challenged but a dedicated employee has so many more benefits than just someone showing up.  At our winery, all the full-time employees are salaried with full healthcare, retirement plan and additional benefits that allow for them to just have this one job. 

  To meet the threshold for an exempt employee, they must be independent of a manager and lead their own efforts.  Each of our employees has sections of the business that they are responsible for in addition to working in the tasting room several days a week.  This includes items like: retail sales, community engagement, social media and marketing and corporate sales.  These additional responsibilities have their own corporate goals and they are managed by the employee.  The employee reports up to the ownership on a bi-weekly basis to update against the goals while using the time to get mentoring and feedback all the while they are managing their own portion of the business.  This process engages them at a different level in the company thereby tying them to our mission in a more meaningful way.  This security and “binding” work together to create longevity, but more importantly, a sense of purpose for the company’s wellbeing. 

  Now that you have secured the employee, your job is to direct them to secure the customer.  Do they have the authority to fix an issue, give a gift, upgrade a customer, or sneak them into an exclusive event?  If they do not you are limiting your best tools to get customers more engaged with the brand. 

•    How would you feel if you got a comped glass of wine because you had just experienced a bad day? 

•    What would your dedication be to a winery that “found” two extra tickets to an exclusive event? 

•    How would you feel if you were at the winery and mentioned your anniversary dinner and the person taking care of you called ahead and paid for two glasses of champagne to be delivered as you sat down. 

  These are all things our associates have done without having to ask for permission.  The person that got the comped glass of wine has spent over $10,000 at the winery this year alone.  Freeing the hands of your tasting room associates is not without guardrails.  If you do it indiscriminately or inconsistently it will not work.  It must be done with intention and intention requires big picture guidelines.   No, they are not allowed to raid the cellar and take the last bottle of that special vintage but they can get into the cellar with a predetermined list of wines available to enhance the customer experience.

  Our team has a set of hospitality guidelines that are both internal centric (how we treat each other) and customer centric.  As long as the employee is following the guidelines, they are free to do whatever they feel is appropriate for the guest experience.  As we tell them daily, every time that door opens you have the opportunity to make someone’s day.  A bad day can be made better, a regular day can be made special or a good day made beyond memorable.  Each guest interaction can be a magic moment if your team is trained and more importantly empowered to make those decisions.

  We have taken care of the employees and they are in turn taking care of the customers.  With all of this, our profits should follow.  Should is a strong word if you are not monitoring and mentoring the team.  Just because they have security and buy-in and the training and empowerment to do the work does not mean it will be intuitive or that it will naturally flow.  Mentoring and monitoring the team is a critical step in making sure all the efforts that you have put into creating a memorable moment actually come to fruition. 

  It is simple physics,  an object in motion will stay in motion and an object in rest will stay in rest without a gentle nudge – gentle being the key word.  If you are overbearing in the process, you will discourage the independent, reasonable, and prudent thought that is necessary to make good decisions.  Giving good direction is necessary for even the most independent and self-sufficient employee.  No one will ever think through the issues more than the owner/manager will.  They see the big picture (since that is their job) and have the ability to direct the team based on where the company is going versus where it is.   Employees with good training, a guideline, and a nudge in the direction the company is headed will be the greatest asset to making sure your customers are taken care of in a meaningful and intentional manner.

  Now you need to ask:  Have I taken care of the biggest concerns of my employees so that they are able to come to work engaged.  Have I given proper guidelines so the engaged employee can be proactive?  Have I done this in a consistent manner so that the employees feel empowered and understand it is important?  I believe that if you answer is “yes” to these questions your employees and customers will be much more satisfied leading to a stronger business with higher profits.

About the Auhtor

  Starting in 2008, Earl Sullivan made his first red blend.  Since that, he and his wife have grown their winery into an award-winning winery that has been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and Sunset Magazine to name a few.  They produce 10,000 cases of award-winning wine in Garden City, Idaho and run a hospitality consulting firm focused on high touch hospitality across a wide range of business sectors. Contact Earl at earl@telayawine.com.