Dr. Ashley Hunt-Poole Expands Her Alcohol-Free Wine Brand Into Major Retailers

Alabama A&M University alumna Dr. Ashley Hunt-Poole has transformed a pandemic-inspired idea into a nationally distributed brand, expanding her alcohol-free wine company into Walmart and Sam's Club stores across multiple states while exemplifying the Bulldog spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Hunt-Poole, a three-time Alabama A&M graduate and founder of HELLO MAMÁ, recently shared updates on the company's growth since partnering with Sam's Club in 2024. What began as Mocktails for Mommy before evolving into HELLO MAMÁ Wine and now HELLO MAMÁ, has grown from a kitchen experiment during pregnancy into Alabama's first Black woman-owned alcohol-free wine and beverage brand.

The idea was born in 2020 while Hunt-Poole was pregnant and searching for high-quality nonalcoholic beverage options.

“At that time, I couldn’t drink, so while I was at home, I was like, ‘OK, how can I mimic a margarita?’” Hunt-Poole said. “When I taste a margarita, I taste that lime and that strawberry. I tried to take fresh fruits and create drinks to make them taste as close as possible to a regular margarita. I was literally in my kitchen coming up with these concoctions, and it spawned from there.”

After refining her recipes, Hunt-Poole turned to social media to share her creations and educate consumers about alcohol-free alternatives.

“I started doing Instagram and Facebook videos just showing people how to make mocktails from the comfort of their homes,” she said. “Those videos kind of sparked me to creating my own beverage company.”

Today, HELLO MAMÁ products are available in Sam’s Club locations throughout Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana, while the brand has expanded into Walmart stores across Alabama, Texas, Mississippi, Maryland, New Jersey, Florida, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, California and additional states.

“Seeing my wine officially in Sam’s Club means the world to me,” said Hunt-Poole. “It proves that you can start something and, as long as you have tenacity and dedication, you can achieve anything.”

A native of St. Louis, Hunt-Poole credits Alabama A&M with helping shape the foundation for her success. She earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts with a concentration in music in 2017, a master’s degree in family and consumer sciences in 2019 and a second master’s degree in engineering with a concentration in systems and materials science in 2020. She later earned a doctorate in healthcare administration from Virginia University of Lynchburg in 2022.

The company's growth has mirrored changes in Hunt-Poole's personal life. Since the University's last feature on her journey, she and her husband, fellow Alabama A&M alumnus Robert Poole, have welcomed their youngest child, Donovan, who joins siblings Jeremy, 13, and Elaina, 5.

“Our family has grown right alongside our business," Hunt-Poole said. “Everything we do is centered around creating a legacy for our children and showing them what's possible through hard work, faith and consistency.”

That commitment to family has also inspired the company’s broader mission. Earlier this year, Hunt-Poole announced HELLO MAMÁ’s evolution into a lifestyle brand focused on supporting mothers through every stage of life. The shift was influenced by her own experience with postpartum preeclampsia following the birth of her youngest child.

“Going through that experience opened my eyes to how important it is to support mothers beyond pregnancy,” she said. “HELLO MAMÁ is about celebrating motherhood, but it’s also about creating conversations around maternal health and wellness.”

As part of that effort, HELLO MAMÁ partnered with the Mommy & Me Organization to help raise awareness about preeclampsia and maternal health issues affecting women and families nationwide.

Hunt-Poole has also expanded her visibility through media appearances and reality television, including participation in “Nextville,” a series following Huntsville-area businesswomen as they balance entrepreneurship and family life.

Despite the company's rapid growth, Hunt-Poole said the next chapter is just beginning. She is working to secure placement with additional retailers, expand the company's flavor offerings and introduce canned beverage products. She also serves as a paid influencer for Walmart Marketplace, promoting opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

“We knew expanding into additional states wasn’t going to be easy,” Hunt-Poole said. “But we also knew it could be done. With dedication, community support and keeping family at the center of everything we do, we believed we would continue to grow.”

She hopes her journey encourages current and future Bulldogs to pursue ambitious goals of their own.

“No dream is too far out of reach when you have faith, determination and a strong support system," Hunt-Poole said. "That's something I learned at Alabama A&M, and it's something I hope the next generation of Bulldogs carries forward.”