Interview: Christina Milian On Expanding Her Entrepreneurial Venture, Viva Diva Wines

Entertainer Christina Milian’s Viva Diva wines have been enjoyed by other celebrities including Karrueche Tran and Snoop Dog. As a woman who keeps her brand in mind at all times, Milian used her savvy to position her product on her E! Network show Turned Up and mentions her wine in her 2015 song “We Ain’t Worried.”

Milian spoke with Black Enterprise contributor Tia Walker for an update on Viva Diva Wines since the label launched in 2013.

As the face of Viva Diva Wines-a joint venture with your mother and publicist-whose idea was it to focus on wine (moscato) as an extension of the Christina Milian brand?

Christina Milian: We (myself, mother Carmen Milian, and publicist Robyn Santiago) actually purchased a preexisting brand that I was a brand ambassador for. The line consisted of moscato, pinot grigio, sweet red wine, and a varietal of naturally flavored moscato.

Clearly it’s exciting that you are a celebrity whose wine is consumed by other celebrities. Was this deliberate? Who is your current target consumer and why?

Our target consumers are the 21+ millennials who enjoy moscato. Moscato is an easy, fruity drink so it tends to be a favorite for 21+ millennials as well as an older generation.  We did a lot of celebrity events at the beginning. That was great. People like Snoop Dog had our wine, and many others. It helped elevate the brand. Additionally, my fan base has been extremely supportive.

How lucrative has the venture been and how have you determined what countries to bring the product to next?

It’s a very difficult market to break into and it definitely takes persistence. We have owned the brand for two years and have found that because of the saturation in the moscato market in the U.S., bringing our brand international has been a great turning point. We have the brand going into 75 Sobeys stores. We are working on Mexico and Greece as well.

What is your favorite product in the line?

I love the Pina Colada the best.  I love to mix it with Diddy’s Ciroc on ice. It’s delicious.

How do you successfully balance being a mom, entertainer, and entrepreneur?

My daughter and my family are always my first priority but my dedication to my businesses are important to show my daughter a good work ethic. It’s hard to say how much time I set aside for each. I really put my all into everything that has my name on it because I love to watch the growth of everything, including my daughter and my family.