Full Name
Emily Darchuk
Job Title
CEO & Co-Founder
Company Name
Wheyward Spirit
Speaker Bio
Wheyward Spirit Founder, Maker, and CEO Emily Darchuk built her career as a food scientist in natural foods and dairy before transforming the liquor sector with her innovative approach to spirits by launching Wheyward Spirit.
Wheyward Spirit is leading the next era of spirits by leveraging emerging consumer and industry trends with first-of-their-kind specialty spirits where you can taste a difference and make a difference®. Wheyward Spirit and the barrel aged version Wheyward Wheyskey, are crafted to be both sippable and sustainable through their proprietary upcycled whey fermentation and distillation process. Their award winning spirits have a balanced signature flavor profile that can create any cocktail under the sun, delivering a differentiated two-bottle cocktail solution that delivers value, efficiency and creativity behind the bar and in the home. The company also utilizes a highly scalable circular business model to produce their spirits that valorizes a waste stream, reduces carbon and water impact, and supports the domestic food system, so as they grow their impact grows.
Emily has made sustainability and innovation in alcohol more accessible and engaging through strategic partnerships across industries, collaborating with like-minded brands and organizations to expand impact and reach new audiences.
Emily holds a degree in Food Science and Nutrition from the University of Illinois, a Master’s in Food Science from Oregon State University, and an MBA in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the University of Oregon. Before launching Wheyward Spirit, she led product development and innovation projects at Coca-Cola, WhiteWave Foods, Kellogg’s, and NASA.
Emily is a published author in leading technical and trade journals, a Grist 50 Environmental Fixer, one of 20 Women Revolutionizing the Alcohol Industry, a 2025 Woman to Watch in Hospitality, and a 3-time 40 Under 40 awardee across the sustainability, beverage, and regional business sectors. She also serves on the advisory boards for the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business and Oregon State University’s College of Agriculture (Food Science), actively engaging with local and national policymakers to drive sustainable change in our food system from farm to flask.
Wheyward Spirit is leading the next era of spirits by leveraging emerging consumer and industry trends with first-of-their-kind specialty spirits where you can taste a difference and make a difference®. Wheyward Spirit and the barrel aged version Wheyward Wheyskey, are crafted to be both sippable and sustainable through their proprietary upcycled whey fermentation and distillation process. Their award winning spirits have a balanced signature flavor profile that can create any cocktail under the sun, delivering a differentiated two-bottle cocktail solution that delivers value, efficiency and creativity behind the bar and in the home. The company also utilizes a highly scalable circular business model to produce their spirits that valorizes a waste stream, reduces carbon and water impact, and supports the domestic food system, so as they grow their impact grows.
Emily has made sustainability and innovation in alcohol more accessible and engaging through strategic partnerships across industries, collaborating with like-minded brands and organizations to expand impact and reach new audiences.
Emily holds a degree in Food Science and Nutrition from the University of Illinois, a Master’s in Food Science from Oregon State University, and an MBA in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the University of Oregon. Before launching Wheyward Spirit, she led product development and innovation projects at Coca-Cola, WhiteWave Foods, Kellogg’s, and NASA.
Emily is a published author in leading technical and trade journals, a Grist 50 Environmental Fixer, one of 20 Women Revolutionizing the Alcohol Industry, a 2025 Woman to Watch in Hospitality, and a 3-time 40 Under 40 awardee across the sustainability, beverage, and regional business sectors. She also serves on the advisory boards for the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business and Oregon State University’s College of Agriculture (Food Science), actively engaging with local and national policymakers to drive sustainable change in our food system from farm to flask.
Speaking At
