Saskatchewan-raised co-owner of non-alcoholic winery lands $1M deal on

It’s a classic story of the little business that could.

Canada’s first non-alcoholic winery landed a $1M investment deal on the television show Dragons’ Den in January.

ONES is the passion project of Tyler Harlton from Pense, Sask., and Chris Pagliocchini, a scientist for Agriculture Canada. Harlton is no stranger to the agriculture industry himself, having grown up surrounded by Prairie farms.

Their business is based in Summerland, B.C.

The ONES owners said their experience on Dragons’ Den is an important piece of their success in creating wines that taste and have the texture consumers expect from alcoholic wines. ONES’s products contain only 0.5 per cent alcohol and zero sugar.

Since launching in 2022, ONES’s wines went from selling in small boutique shops to lining shelves in nearly 600 stores across Canada.

WATCH | Saskatchewan-born winemaker lands $1M Dragons’ Den investment deal for non-alcoholic winery:

Saskatchewan-born winemaker lands $1M Dragons Den investment deal for non-alcoholic winery

Owners of Canada’s only non-alcoholic winery ONES have scored a $1 million investment deal from Dragons Dens’ beverage industry leader Manjit Minhas for 15 per cent equity. Co-owner Tyler Harlton is originally from Pense, Sask., and says the non-alcoholic beverage industry has experienced significant growth since ONES launched in 2022.

Harlton told CBC Saskatchewan that going on Dragons’ Den was a big step for him, and ultimately validated what he and Pagliocchini have been working hard at for just under four years.

“They said, ‘Yep, it’s a great business.’ The business has value and [they] think there’s potential,” he said.

“So for people that started, you know, kind of making batches in the kitchen and hand delivering … just to see the validation of that kind of stage, it was really rewarding. And also as a growing business, we are looking for resources, for money, for expertise.”

The four Dragons were surprised at ONES’s consistent growth and revenue over a short period of time — especially when Harlton and Pagliocchini told them they can not only pay themselves and their communications coordinator, but pour the rest of the profits into marketing.

While the Dragons said there’s a lot of work ahead to take the business to the next level, all were impressed. Harlton said longtime Dragon, businesswoman and investor Arlene Dickinson gave the ONES team an especially useful critique.

“Arlene said to us, ‘You’re a Canadian brand using Canadian wine. You really should be putting that front and centre,'” Harlton said, adding that’s great advice for an up-and-coming business during the current…