We Love Our Wine - Even If We Can't Afford It

Lisa and I love our wine and thought you might like this article.  It's been fun to see the popularity of wine increase in the last several years.  We love both red and white wine as well as some great varietals  that we have discovered in our home state of Arizona.

Funny how even a deep recession doesn't seem to be able to mess with our wine drinking.  Lisa and I haven't stooped to boxes or jugs yet.......but you never know what the future holds! It's all a part of Good Living!!

Here's the article:

Cheers! Salúd! Clink, clink! However you toast, Americans will be tipping their glasses this holiday season. According to new research from Mintel, two-thirds of survey respondents (67%) say they partake in wine on holidays and special occasions while at home. Another 58% drink wine at home with dinner on an ordinary night.

The wine market has grown 20% from 2004-09 despite the recession; however, shattered consumer confidence caused a 3.2% decline during the height of the financial crisis in 2008. As consumers begin to see signs that the worst of the recession is behind them, Mintel forecasts the wine market will stabilize and increase by 2.1% in 2009.

“Despite the recent decline, the future of the wine market looks bright, at least for moderately priced segments,” says Sarah Theodore, Mintel senior food and drink analyst. “Value wines have helped consumers rethink their perceptions about wine. Domestic wines have proven to be somewhat recession-proof as unpretentious, economy-priced wines are fuelling recent sales.”

How does wine chalk up next to its alcoholic beverage counterparts? So far in 2009, nearly half of survey respondents say they drink beer compared to just more than one-third who drink imported and domestic wines (47% vs. 35%). Only 17% claim to enjoy champagne and sparkling wines and even less drink port, sherry and dessert wines (7%).

Sarah Theodore notes: “As wine finds its way out of the recession, it might be taking on a new form. The down economy has given impetus to boxed wine. Marketers have an opportunity right now to really play up the benefits of this type of packaging and finally eliminate its ‘cheap’ image.”

Nearly one in five respondents appears to be status-conscious when it comes to drinking boxed wine. Consequently, 35% of those aged 21-24 say they would drink boxed wine at home, but not serve it to guests, compared to 19% of all ages. In addition, 35% of 21-24 year old wine drinkers believe the wine brand they choose reflects their status to friends, compared to only 14% of all ages.

About Mintel

Mintel is a leading global supplier of consumer, product and media intelligence. For more than 35 years, Mintel has provided insight into key worldwide trends, offering exclusive data and analysis that directly impacts client success. With offices in Chicago, New York, London, Sydney, Shanghai and Tokyo, Mintel has forged a unique reputation as a world-renowned business brand. For more information on Mintel, please visit www.mintel.com.

If you get a chance - check out our web page about Good Living at www.goodlivingproducts.com

Kiva - Giving To Make A Difference

About four years ago I was watching a TV program on how Americans were giving to a new program called Kiva.  The show caught my attention.  I promised myself then and there that if I started another business that I would make giving to Kiva a part of what we do as a socially responsible company. So when Lisa and I started Good Living Products in July of this year we made giving to Kiva a part of our business plan.


Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.
Kiva is the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend to unique entrepreneurs around the globe.  They do this by allowing you and me to invest in low income people with as little as a $25 investment.

The people you see on Kiva's site are real individuals. When you browse entrepreneurs' profiles on Kiva, choose someone to lend to, and then make a loan, you are helping a real person make great strides towards economic independence and improve life for themselves, their family, and their community. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates and track repayments. Then, when you get your loan money back, you can re-lend to someone else.

Here are some of the people that we have loaned money to.

Teresa is the proud owner of her own in-home daycare business in Massachusetts. 

In her home country of Ecuador she was also a businesswoman. Ten years ago she came to the United States to start something new and it was natural for her to pursue a business of her own.

Jairo  came to the United States from Colombia 24 years ago after the loss of his job and with 500 dollars he started his own office furniture business.




Michael is the owner of CineCipher, a multi-media videography company located in the San Francisco Bay Area. He works with small businesses and non-profits to help them tell their stories.

Mrs.Thida Rous and her husband, Mr. Chinda Duk have been selling flowers and bananas for twelve years they live along the Tonle Basac River, a tributary of the nearby Mekong River, about fifteen kilometers from Phnom Penn, the capital city of Cambodia.


These are real people with real needs.  Please feel free to join us as we all try to make our world a better place. Join our Kiva community at http://www.kiva.org/team/good_living_products.

Thanks - Roger Booth from Good Living Products, LLC