Amanda Arrigotti-White: Cultivating Food Communities Through Storytelling

It is an exciting time to consider a career in the food and beverage industries. There are so many directions to pursue beyond roles in the kitchen. For those who like to seek out undiscovered brands and help promote those businesses, the field of public relations and social media marketing is a great option. This role is always needed in the food and drink world, and it's a career that allows you to advocate for companies in which you believe. Amanda Arrigotti-White describes how she came to open her PR and marketing agency in downtown Jacksonville.

**********

Name: Amanda Arrigotti-White
Job Title: Founder and CEO
Company: Curate & Co.

Amanda's Career Path:
I fell in love with food and drink while working at Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. While there, I worked on over ten different wine and spirit brands so I was quickly immersed in the industry. Before this role, I had never experienced the craftsmanship, dedication, and gusto that I saw in our winemakers. Part scientist, part artist, and part farmer – these men and women are truly inspirational. My role at the winery allowed me to travel around the country and meet chefs, distillers, mixologists and other brands who had amazing yet undiscovered stories. I wanted to find a way to tell their story.

Curate & Co. is a public relations and social media agency with a fondness for food and drink brands. I started it to not only tell the story of brands and businesses that I believe in, but also to tell the story in a way that inspires people to be curious and get involved with their food community. We work to get products in the hands of digital influencers and introduce brands to new consumers on social media. Locally, we work with businesses such as Native Sun and Taverna; nationally we work with businesses such as Napa Cellars Wine, Big 5 Rum and Santa Rita Wines.

Some days I am a CEO in the morning, a lawyer writing and reviewing contracts in the afternoon, a creative director in the evening, and a janitor on the weekend. And I love it. As Curate & Co. has grown, I've shifted focus from creating processes to building and leading a team that is as passionate about food and drink as I am.

In the future I also want to open a curated boutique, showcasing a collection of our clients’ products and incredible female-produced products. This shop will be a community and education driven concept that would blend storytelling, products, and discovery. In the coming years, I also plan to open a second Curate & Co. office outside of Jacksonville. This will not only create more awareness for the Northeast Florida market, but allow my team to discover new distilleries, restaurants, farmers and wineries.