Manjit Minhas

Manjit Minhas is best known as a star of CBC’s, Dragons’ Den. She joined the hit series 10 years ago after establishing herself as the formidable entrepreneur behind Minhas Brewery, Distillery, and Winery — a privately-owned global empire with annual revenues of over $220 million.

Minhas was an engineering student at the University of Calgary, when she sold her Toyota RAV4 for $10,000 to start a business with her brother, Ravinder. They began importing spirits from the US to sell to Canadian bars and restaurants. This part-time job soon grew into a major enterprise, and, within a decade, Minhas Brewery, Distillery, and Winery was boasting over $100 million in annual revenue; a number that has since doubled. Minhas’ portfolio includes more than 90 brands of beer, spirits, liqueurs, and wine sold internationally. She also partners with celebrities from film, music, and other industries to create unique products.

As someone who has experienced the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, Minhas was keen to help others on their business ventures, and was excited to be approached by the CBC in 2015 to star on Dragons’ Den. Since joining the show, Minhas has invested in more than three dozen businesses. Minhas is also a committed philanthropist, who sits on numerous boards for charitable organizations, including the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, Hull Services, and a YWCA that raised $50 million for a crisis shelter. She also co-chaired a $60 million United Way of Calgary and Area fundraising campaign.

Minhas is committed to sustainability and social responsibility. She was the first brewer in Canada to voluntarily print warnings about drinking and driving and the risks of consuming alcohol during pregnancy on her products. She has also used her engineering background to innovate production processes and use the least amount of chemicals, gas, electricity, and water, and created a special 48-can pack for Costco with no plastic rings and the least amount of paper box material necessary to prevent excess materials from ending up in landfills.

In recognition of her work, Minhas has been recognized with numerous awards and accolades. This includes being named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 by BNN Bloomberg, one of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women by WXN, and a Top Growth Entrepreneur by PROFIT magazine, among many others. In 2024, Minhas was honoured by the United Nations Association in Canada with the Global Citizen Laureate Award in recognition of her commitment to the UN goal of gender equality. She was also named an Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the Queen’s Own Rifles in 2023.

Minhas currently sits on the boards of Enbridge, YYC Airport Authority, and ATB Financial. She made history in 2024 when she became the first woman owner of the Edmonton Stingers, a CEBL team.