Our Mission

Black Women in Wine: Our Mission at Ruby Imports

Why Representation Matters in Wine

The American wine industry is one of the least diverse sectors in the food and beverage world. Fewer than 1% of wine businesses in the United States are Black owned. The number of Black woman-owned wine companies is even smaller. And when it comes to wine importers, the number is nearly invisible.

Ruby Imports was not founded to fill a diversity quota. It was founded because Lisa and Alexis Richmond fell in love with Turkish wine and realized nobody was bringing it to America with the care, context, and passion it deserves. But the fact that Ruby Imports is a Black woman-owned business matters. It matters because representation creates possibility. When young Black women see a mother-daughter team running a successful wine import company, it expands what feels achievable.

A Mother-Daughter Team in a Male-Dominated Industry

Lisa and Alexis Richmond are not just business partners. They are mother and daughter, best friends, and the driving force behind one of the most unique wine import companies in the United States. Their journey started at Mediterranean restaurants, continued through WSET wine education courses, and led them across the world to the vineyards of Turkey.

What they found there was remarkable: 7,000 years of continuous winemaking history, over 600 indigenous grape varieties found nowhere else on earth, and wines that rival anything coming out of France, Italy, or Spain. The only problem was that almost none of these wines were available in the United States.

So they built the bridge themselves. Learn more about our founders and how Ruby Imports came to be.

What Makes Ruby Imports Different

Ruby Imports is not just another wine importer. Here is what sets us apart:

We are Black woman-owned and mother-daughter founded, one of the only Black owned wine import companies in the United States.

We specialize exclusively in Turkish wine, making us the first and only dedicated Turkish wine importer in America. Explore our Turkish wine portfolio to see what we offer.

We work directly with family-owned producers in Turkey, building personal relationships that ensure quality, authenticity, and fair partnership.

We are committed to education, providing resources that help Americans discover Turkey's extraordinary wine heritage.

We believe that the wine industry should look like the people who drink wine: diverse, curious, and welcoming.

Supporting Black Owned Businesses in Wine

If you are looking to support Black owned businesses, buy from a Black woman-owned wine company, or add minority-owned wines to your restaurant or retail selection, Ruby Imports would love to hear from you.

We welcome inquiries from:

Restaurants and sommeliers seeking unique, story-driven wines from a minority-owned supplier
Retailers and wine shops looking to diversify their shelves with Black owned wine brands
Corporate buyers and procurement teams with supplier diversity goals
Event planners looking for distinctive wines from a woman-owned business
Media and press covering Black entrepreneurs, women in wine, or the Turkish wine industry
Consumers who want to buy wine from a Black woman-owned company and discover something completely new

Our Vision

Ruby Imports envisions a wine industry where Black women are not the exception but the expectation. Where the question is not “why Turkish wine?” but “why did it take so long?” Where every bottle tells a story of heritage, craft, and the courage to build something new.

We are just getting started.