Summerland’s new sugar-free, non-alcoholic winery

A handshake with a Dragon opened a world of opportunity for Ones winery in Summerland.

Getting there wasn’t easy.

In early February, winery owners and long-time friends Tyler Harlton and Chris Pagliocchini appeared on Dragons’ Den to offer a 10 per cent share of the business for an investment of $900,000.

The CBC television show provides entrepreneurs with the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to a panel of venture capitalists, the Dragons.

Dragon Manjit Minhas, an entrepreneur herself and a significant player in Canada’s beverage industry, countered with an offer of $1 million for 15 percent of the business.

With only a moment’s hesitation, the minimum time needed to realize their good fortune, Harlton and Pagliocchini were shaking Manjit’s hand.

Manjit recognized the market potential for Ones, Canada’s only sugar-free, non-alcohol wine, and its impressive record since inception in 2022.

She was especially impressed with Harlton and Pagliocchini’s dedication to making the winery a success.

Initially, Harlton was reluctant to try for a spot on the show because Dragons by nature are confrontational.

Then Pagliocchino said, “Let’s just do this.”

After more than a year of overcoming hurdles, the two men were invited for a full day on the TV set at CBC headquarters in Toronto.

“Chris is exactly the type of person you want. He has the common sense of a farm kid paired with the background of a scientist,” Harlton said.

Raised on the family orchard in Summerland and with a background as an agricultural scientist, Pagliocchini worked at the Summerland Research and Development Centre.

Originally from Saskatchewan, Harlton played professional hockey before earning a law degree and discovering wine.

From 2011 to 2019 he owned and operated TH Wines in Summerland.

Details of the $1 million deal are being finalized.

In general, the money will be used for research on how to improve the product, including new technology for alcohol removal, and to facilitate distribution across Cabada, which is especially difficult for small new producers.

Also under discussion are the details of how Manjit will receive her 15 percent of the business.

“Large investments come with high expectations,” Harlton said.

Impact of the handshake with Manjit was almost immediate.

“Retailers are reaching out to us and there has been an increase in sales direct to the consumer,” Harlton said.

He and Pagliocchino hoped to sell 200 cases when they started Ones in 2022.

The goal was quickly reached and sales increased more rapidly than they had ever dreamed.

In 2025, Ones wine was sold directly to consumers and through more than a total of 550 retailers located in most provinces.

Harlton told Dragon’s Den the business is valued at $6.7 million.

Trump’s tariffs have helped because consumers are seeking Canadian products.

With Manjit’s investment, sales are only expected to increase to meet the demand from health-conscious customers who want the drinking experience without sugar and alcohol.

Ones grew out of Harlton realizing he wasn’t as sharp mentally in the morning as he wanted to be when drinking wine.

Coupled with the responsibility of impending fatherhood, he thought “there must be another way.”

He and his long-time friend Pagliocchini, also a father concerned about his health, teamed up to produce wine from premium grapes filtered to remove alcohol and without sugar and other additives.

Harlton and Pagliocchini are using the best wine available primarily from local wineries rather than producing their own wine.

Today, Harlton and his life partner, Taylor Gwynne, are busy raising their four-year-old son, Elden.

Taylor joined the Ones team as “community builder” to put the human touch on the business and to handle communications.

Harlton is grateful for local support starting from the early days of Ones which includes the BC Wine Information Centre in Penticton, Colleen Statt, owner of Bella Vita Flowers in Summerland, and Jacquie and Jerry Pagliocchino who sold the wine at their fruit stand.

For more about the winery check out its website here.

— This story was originally published by the Penticton Herald.