Winery Spotlight: Hobo Wine Company on 20 Years of Growing as You Go

Kenny Likitprakong, a Santa Rosa native, is the Owner and Winemaker of the Hobo Wine Company. For the last 20 years, he has tried to balance the building of his business with his life while taking care of his employees. He prioritizes decreasing the winery's carbon footprint by making smart environmental decisions that are good for the planet and the brand. These include organic farming, reduced packaging, and green winery practices. 

Kenny has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Times, Sunset Magazine, Modern Farmer, and various other wine publications. He supports the local community through organizations like The Climate Center and The School Garden Network as well as many other nonprofit organizations beyond Sonoma County. When Kenny isn't making or drinking wine, he enjoys riding his bike in Annadel with his family.

Running a winery is no easy feat. But you don’t need to know everything about the industry to get your career started. All you need is a passion for your craft, dedication, and the desire to continuously improve.

What started as a small, 100-case production for Kenny Likitprakong eventually turned into a 30,000-case-per-year business. On top of raising kids and growing a family, Kenny strives to take care of his employees and run a sustainable brand. Twenty years after founding Hobo Wine Company, Kenny still wakes up every day thinking about his business and working to have a positive impact on the community.

In this episode of VINTed, Scout Driscoll is joined by Kenny Likitprakong, Owner and Winemaker at Hobo Wine Company, to talk about his journey of growing a business. Kenny shares how he started the winery, advice for working through industry challenges, and why transparency and honesty are so important as a leader.