Vino de Milo Gives Back to Supportive Community

Vino de Milo Gives Back to Supportive Community

“Since Vino de Milo’s started up with the help of ACEnet 13 years ago, it has actively contributed to all sorts of fundraisers in the community,” said company founder Jonathan Milo Leal.

The wine-based sauce company started with just three pasta sauces, and has now expanded to more than 40 items, Leal said. The full product line includes dressings, salsas, sauce, and more.

ACEnet allowed Leal the opportunity to take his products to the next level, finding a place a cook on a larger scale and try new recipes. Although the company experienced a slump in production a few years ago, it has since undergone a redesign and is back on the up the up.

To give thanks to a community that’s supported the company through its ups and downs, Vino de Milo has donated gift baskets, product, and time “to just about every fundraiser and non-profit in Athens” since its inception, Leal said.

Gifts vary by group, but have been a mix of products offered by Vino de Milo, he said.

“The local community has been a huge supporter since we started 13 years ago, and we are happy to be able to give back in any way we can,” Leal said.

Vino de Milo products can be found locally at Kroger, Nelsonville Emporium, Ohio University’s Baker Center, The Village Bakery, and the Farmacy, but also at major retailers such as T.J. Maxx and Whole Foods Market. The company’s Facebook fan page has additionally announced when the products have launched at niche grocery stores all across the country, and also at stores as far away as San Juan, Puerto Rico. Vino de Milo has gone global, too, exporting to Canada, Colombia, Panama, Japan, Korea, Germany, and Kuwait.

Leal also created JB’s Best as an off-shoot from Vino de Milo. JB’s Best offers similar products such as salsas and barbecue sauces.

“We get so much support from the Athens community that it only makes sense to give back as much as we can,” he said.