Christopher Hoffmeister, Select Wines CEO, receives prestigious French distinction in Vancouver, BC

Christopher Hoffmeister, Chief Executive Officer of Select Wines, receives prestigious French distinction in Vancouver, BC

The Consul General of France in Vancouver, Mr. Nicolas Baudouin, presented the award of Knight of the Order of Agricultural Merit to Mr. Christopher Hoffmeister, CEO of Select Wines, during a private ceremony held on April 23, 2024 at famed restaurant, Le Crocodile. By honoring Mr. Hoffmeister, France recognizes the contribution of Mr. Christopher Hoffmeister and Select Wines as a leader in the promotion and distribution of French wines and wine culture across Canada. Wines and spirits represent an important part of French overall exports to Canada.

Mr. Hoffmeister is a driven executive with 28 years of business consulting, sales, marketing, management and leadership experience. Following his graduation from Queen’s University and several years in the management consulting field, Mr. Hoffmeister started in the wine industry in 2000 with the Mark Anthony Group. He held diverse marketing and sales management roles allowing him to accumulate a great understanding of international wine trade and the nuances of wine sales, marketing and distribution in Canada. In 2011, Chris joined French entrepreneur Pierre Doise and his firm Select Wines in Vancouver and shortly thereafter, Select Wines established a joint venture with the French wine company, Advini. Advini is a worldclass French grape grower and wine producer with estates in Burgundy, Bordeaux, Provence, Rhône Valley, Languedoc, Roussillon and South Africa. The joint venture, known as Select Vins Advini has made substantial gains in the Canadian market and became one of the leaders in the French wine category across the country.

In 2017, Mr. Hoffmeister took over Select Wines and under his leadership, the company and its subsidiary have expanded, becoming a reference for fine wine sales from all wine producing regions, especially France.

The Consul general of France, Mr Nicolas Baudouin, said during the ceremony that “Chris Hoffmeister forged a successful French-Canadian business partnership with a leading French company in the wine industry which contributes to the recognition of French wines in Canada and more generally to the traditions and culture attached to wine : sharing and transmission, hard work and creativity to craft a very special product, passion for the typicity or the “terroir” of a region”.

About the Order of Agricultural Merit

The Order of Agricultural Merit is the highest distinction given in France to the individuals, both French and foreign, who have made significant contributions in the fields of agriculture as well as in the food and wine industry. The prestigious award was established on July 7, 1883, by the then French Minister of Agriculture, Jules Méline.

About the Consulate General of France in Vancouver

The Consulate General of France opened in Vancouver in 1896 under Consul General Léon Duchastel de Montrouge. The Consulate general of France in Vancouver’s jurisdiction covers Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon Territory. It creates opportunities between France and Canada and oversees French interests in Western Canada.

Media release and image provided by Gratianne Daum, Consulate General of France in Vancouver. photo credit: Consulate General of France in Vancouver