Meet Jodie Tristano of Haley’s Corker in River Forest

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jodie Tristano.

Jodie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
In a comet-like flash of inspiration the Haley’s Corker was created; a unique, compact designed plastic corker that aerates, filters, pours, re-corks and provides a stopper for wine bottles. The innovative design was submitted and approved for patent protection based on the loop design and cap that snuggly fits allowing wine bottles to be stored on their side without leakage. The Original Haley’s Corker was tested using medical grade plastic elastic polymers to find the ideal recipe for durability and flexibility, allowing each product to be safely cleaned in dishwashers.

Haley’s Corkers are trademarked as the “World’s Only 5 in 1”, considered by many as the Swiss army knife of wine corks. The design provides a built-in aerator that enhances the flavor of the wine as it’s poured. The drip-free pourer makes it easy to use without spillage and the mesh filter keeps any sediment or cork residue from making its way into your glass. Perhaps the most important feature is the loop cap design which closes easily preventing fruit flies and other insects from spoiling an expensive bottle of wine. With so many features, the Haley’s Corker is the leading wine tasting room product designed to enhance the wine tasting experience. In addition to the United States wineries, Haley’s Corkers can be found in South Africa, Europe, South America and Australian wineries. Consumers can also purchase Haley’s Corkers at various retailers including William Sonoma, Cost Plus World Market, and Roundy’s Supermarkets.

Haley’s Corker is a female, majority-owned business with a social and environmental philosophy. Corkers are 100% made in the USA, locally in Aurora Illinois. Although the cost to produce our products is lower outside the US, commitment to remaining “made in the USA” is a longstanding philosophy of the company and will continue. In addition, protecting the environment is an important element of the business. Plastic packaging is purchased locally within 100 miles of our headquarters and made entirely from recycled plastic containers. All of the printed materials that accompany the products are made using recycled paper and soy-based ink that makes the materials easily compostable. Contributing to a better environment will always be a core value regardless of any additional expense incurred.

Innovation has been important to the continued success of the business. With cork shortages and the rise in popularity of the screw cap wine bottles, the Bottle Green screwcap wine corker was developed as an oversized version of the original. Although the design was developed for the slightly larger screw cap bottles, the size is perfect for olive oils, balsamic vinegar, craft beer growlers and other hard liquor bottles providing a complementary combination.

Innovation continued with the demand for personalization and customization with the Platinum Corker, a premium version of the original which includes two nickel-plated rings and a nickel-plated engravable cap that can be etched for logos, monograms or messaging. Platinum, logo-etched Haley’s Corkers are featured by Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant, headquartered locally in the Chicago-area. Although the original tuxedo black corker continues to be the best seller, Haley’s Corkers are also available in a variety of colors for every occasion including; grape, cobalt blue, burgundy wine, licorice red and a special glitter pink for the girls.

Haley’s Corkers can be found atop bottles in Vino Volo wine stores in airports across America. We are the exclusive pourer of Chateau Montelena, featured in the 2008 movie Bottle Shock, based on the 1976 Judgement of Paris wine competition in Paris, France when for the first time, California wine defeated French wine in a blind taste test.

Has it been a smooth road?
Success is never without challenges along the way. The Haley’s Corker is only Made in the USA product in its category. Most competitors have chosen to produce their product in China using lower quality material and using cheaper labor wages which create a lower priced competitor. Many of today’s customers appreciate the reluctance to produce our products overseas and believe in the quality standards and supporting American business and factory workers. With price being a very important factor for consumers, our challenge remains marketing the value and experience of each corker. When customers purchase and use a Haley’s Corker, they become brand ambassadors who purchase them for friends and family and sing the praises of the quality of the product. Our corkers consistently receive 5-star ratings online and we offer a 100% guaranteed return policy for corkers purchased.

It was once said that imitation is the greatest form of flattery and the Haley’s Corker design has not been without copycats. When a company receives patent protection from the US Patent Office, it doesn’t mean that others will not replicate your design. Over the years, Haley’s Corker has had to seek court actions to keep its innovative design from being used by competitors. Although successful in each of its patent defenses, the cost of litigation can be quite high for a small company and will continue to remain a challenge. Haley’s Corker biggest challenge is to bring its high-quality products to more parts of the world. Global is the goal and with so many wine lovers across the world, our focus will continue to be on exporting our products to new wine regions. Consumer demand continues to drive orders around the world so we know demand exists for the product.

Shipping and customs charges can be significant as an exporter. The challenge will be to develop partnerships with exclusive distributors that allow us to build sales and distribution in foreign countries. These relationships are often formed in person and will require travel abroad to ensure that the right partners are chosen. Color preference often changes and evolve so the addition of new colors creates new opportunities for the business and its customers. Our glitter pink is a very popular color and combines nicely with the original tuxedo black. We are currently looking at orange and yellow which will complete the six colors of the rainbow. Some customers have asked for special colors that match their corporate logo. As a small company, we are delighted to accommodate these requests and make our customers happy.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Haley’s Corker – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Haley’s Corker is a multi-function product that allows customers to manage 5 different functions in 1 compact design, eliminating a drawer full of separate costly products. More importantly, our trademark, “bring the tasting room experience to your home” sums up the power of owning a product that wineries across the world have used for over a decade and consumers can bring home to enjoy.

But it’s customer service that sets Haley’s Corker apart from its competition…

Customer service is an essential core value for our customers. Although many of our products are purchased and sold by distributors, we continue to maintain strong partnerships with small wineries, retailers, and consumers to support our products. Products can be purchased online at our website but the majority of our direct sales are made over the phone the old-fashioned way. Customers like to personally select and customize their color preferences and packaging options. Taking time to ensure the accuracy and customer satisfaction is an important part of what we do each day. Each customer order is personally had packed and shipped daily so customers receive their order quickly and can make our products available to their customers without delay. While our products proudly display the Made in America flag, customers can feel confident they are both buying high quality and supporting our country.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Chicago has been home for most of my life. It’s a wonderful city, full of life, great restaurants and an incredible melting pot of ethnicity. Sports and theater provide great entertainment and Chicago’s lakefront provides an opportunity to be close to the beach and water. Pockets of ethnic groups give Chicago an international flavor with its culture and tastes. Most of all, I like the warmth of the Midwestern American, hardworking, friendly and full of life.

The change of season in the Fall is inspiring, full of vibrant colors and cool weather that makes you appreciate the warm Summers. Getting snow for the December holidays is wonderful but driving in the snow can become a challenge with Chicago potholes. As they say, there are two seasons in Chicago, Winter, and construction. If there is anything to dislike her in the city, it’s construction.

Pricing:

• Original Tuxedo Black Haley’s Corker $7.99
• Original Licorice Red Haley’s Corker $7.99
• Original Purple Grape Haley’s Corker $7.99
• Original Burgundy Wine Haley’s Corker $7.99
• Original Glitter Pink Haley’s Corker $7.99
• Original Cobalt Blue Haley’s Corker $7.99
• Bottle Green Screw Cap Haley’s Corker $7.99
• Platinum Black Haley’s Corker $12.99
• Platinum Green Screw Cap Haley’s Corker $12.99

Contact Info:

• Website: www.haleyscorker.com
• Phone: 6303688435
• Email: jtristano@winecorker.org
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/haleyscorker/
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/winecorker/

Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.