When he learned that approximately $1.5 billion worth of wine is poured out every year due to oxidation, Ryan was compelled to act.

“I felt it was such a shame that after all of this hard work, a large portion of the wine they create ends up down someone’s drain. It became my mission to reduce this waste,” Ryan says.

In researching other wine preservation products on the market, he saw that they were either ineffective, cost prohibitive, or lacked a strong market. He knew there had to be an easier, more affordable way.

Ryan used his previous experience working in the argon gas industry to develop the ArT Wine Preserver, the easiest way to keep wine fresh.

“After designing several commercial antioxidation systems in the past, I modified this technology for smaller scale use in homes and businesses,” he says.

The ArT (short for “Argon Technology”) Wine Preserver contains 100% pure argon gas to keep opened bottles of wine fresh at least three times longer. Each can of ArT preserves up to 40 bottles, and takes only two seconds to use.

By preserving wine for up to a month, the ArT Wine Preserver can save wine enthusiasts, vineyards, restaurants and bars hundreds or even thousands of dollars in wasted product. And by supporting the conservation of valuable resources, particularly in drought-prone regions of the country, ArT is also helping move to a more sustainable path.

While the team is only Ryan and Catherine on paper, the entire projects is part of an ecosystem of small business leaders in the Midwest (and further!) that care about environmental, social, and governance issues.