In addition to cocktails, wines are getting a sensory lift. At The Giant Co., Heap notes that sparkling wine is more popular on an everyday basis, and is no longer just imbibed for special occasions.
Local Charm
Locally and regionally produced wines, beers and spirits have historically appealed to shoppers and helped distinguish a grocer’s adult beverage department. Retailers that spotlight local products in both assortment and merchandising can continue to garner interest going forward.
According to Heap, products from local breweries and wineries are popular with The Giant Co.’s customers. “If we receive customer requests for a local item that we aren’t currently carrying, we reach out to the supplier and offer to bring them into the set,” he says. “We view this as a point of differentiation.”
Carrying local items also ties into the general move to support other businesses at a time of hardship. “Buying direct from local wineries has allowed many family-run businesses to thrive, and they have been able to survive during the pandemic, when their tasting rooms and winery tours were closed,” Heap points out. “Likewise, our support of local breweries has helped them offset losses from declining sales in the draft beer on-premise business.”
One independent grocer in the Chicago area has taken locally produced beer and mutually beneficial collaborations a step further. Tischler Finer Foods, in Brookfield, Ill., recently introduced a Tischler branded beer that it created with nearby BuckleDown Brewing.
“The idea behind the collaboration has always been local supporting local,” explains owner Dennis Tischler, noting that customers have enthusiastically supported the product since it was launched a couple of months ago. To create awareness and drive sales, the store and brewery heavily promoted the rollout on their respective websites and social media pages. Tischler’s is prominently displaying the beer at the front of the store, in addition to at the cooler and on the shelf.
Co-owner Linda Tischler says that this past year has reshaped the category in a way that allowed this store brand to move from idea to reality. “The pandemic brought a new awareness as well as creativity,” she notes. “It has led many of us to try new things in general. We have noticed an increase in locally made beer sales over time, but more during this time frame.”
Finally, as the legalization of cannabis and recreational marijuana continues to expand across the United States, the adult beverage category is poised to widen with the addition of cannabis-infused drinks. Information from San Francisco-based Grand View Research shows that cannabis beverages now represent a $2.8 billion segment
January 19, 2021 at 10:32PM
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What's In Store for Beverage Alcohol Category in 2021? - Progressive Grocer
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