Consumers have taken their health consciousness to the alcohol aisle, with lower-calorie hard seltzers continuing to trend (and expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 22.9% by 2030). That trend continues in the ever-growing wine category, which now includes a better-for-you subcategory. In fact, better-for-you wine sales have grown over 200% in the last year, according to Fresh Vine Wines Co-Founder and Winemaker Jamey Whetstone.
Independent Grocers Alliance retailers have the opportunity to capitalize on this hot category thanks to our unique Red Oval partnership with Fresh Vine Wines, who are helping IGA retailers be among the first grocers in the country to carry this better-for-you wine in stores.
Whetstone, along with Fresh Vine Wines co-founders Nina Dobrev and Julianne Hough, saw an opportunity with the underserved consumer in search of a wine with less sugar, less carbohydrates, and fewer calories that doesn't sacrifice taste.
“We saw a hole in the wine aisles, and it lacked what we felt like was a delicious, smartly put together, responsibly put together glass of wine," Whetstone told IGA CEO John Ross during a vineyard tour. "And what we found a lot in early research which we did for several years, was find out that better-for-you didn’t mean it was also delicious and complementary. So with Fresh Vine that is one thing we have brought to the market place.”
“It’s an opportunity to take that next step. If you’re enjoying that glass of seltzer, you can actually upgrade a little bit. You get a little more of a concentrated flavor profile,” Whetstone says.
With an accessible price point, Fresh Vine Wines can also attract the same audience that is gravitating towards seltzers and craft beer options.
Sit in on Ross and Whetstone's conversation about the ever-expanding category and opportunity for independent retailers. Watch the video below.
Fresh Vine Wines offers the best variety for your shoppers, especially those looking for a special bottle for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Options include:
Ross believes IGA retailers "have a huge opportunity to address an unmet need in the audience and help their core shoppers make smarter choices, which is always a method of driving sales."
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