After a double degree in biochemistry and journalism, Sophie Blum created, developed and directed the health department of major communication groups for more than 20 years. In 2015, she co-founded MYWAH, where she is the president. Interview.
What did you have in mind when creating MYWAH?
I am a wine lover. At home, I like to drink a glass from time to time, but I always hesitate to uncork a bottle: once opened, the process of oxidation begins. I also like to host parties, but I hate the chore of removing empty bottles that have to be dropped in the container the next day. And in a restaurant, when you order a glass of wine, you can never know if the bottle was opened a long time ago and if the wine is at the right temperature. Wine by the glass is more than a trend today, it’s a fact. But the service of wine by the glass has not changed in a long while. We wanted to jostle this particular market and bring innovation by making it more convenient, efficient and intelligent.
How did you improve this service?
By rethinking all the steps, from conditioning to tasting. Edgar Wine Butler is the first device that facilitates service, simplifies management and above all allows to serve a glass of wine at a good temperature, immediately and continuously.
How is your machine different from other by-the-glass wine dispensers?
Some systems are able to serve wine continuously, but not at the right temperature. Others serve wine at the right temperature, but not continuously. The great strength of Edgar is that the device is able to pour three different wines, each at the right temperature, and without waiting as Edgar has the ability to provide 240 glasses per hour. This is a huge difference since there is no break in service, no need to wait until the wine is at the right temperature, Edgar takes care immediately.
Another big difference: Edgar does not contain glass bottles …
We opted for an eco-refill pouch, much more innovative and adapted packaging than the classic glass bottle. The flexible pouch preserves the qualities of the wine up to 8 weeks after opening. It is lightweight, reliable, unbreakable, easy to transport and store. Once empty, it takes up less space than a school notebook. It is fully recyclable. The carbon footprint is much better than that of a glass bottle.
Why do you say Edgar is a smart machine?
We developed a “digital factory”, an application tracking everything. The program provides information to all actors in the wine-by-glass chain. The producer knows which of his wines is consumed, in what quantity, in which city, in which establishment … The restaurant owner is able to follow in real-time the consumption of wine by the glass in his establishment, he knows when this or that wine is consumed, he knows the state of his stocks, … It is a radical innovation: Edgar is switching the service of wine by the glass in the world of the twenty-first century.
Do you propose a wine list with the dispenser?
Yes, we are finalizing it, with many references from all regions of France, from traditional and biodynamic winemaking. However, customers can enrich the list with wines that resemble them. Our vocation is not to replace a sommelier in a Michelin-starred restaurant, nor to become a new wine supplier on the market. Our vocation is to modernize the service of wine by the glass.