With more than two decades of experience in wine, beer, and spirits, Columinate member-consultant Samuel Vandegrift regularly helps co-ops around the country connect with customers and boost sales using everything from pricing strategies to in-store promotions and events. As we approach the holiday season, Sam has offered some key advice for what stores can do to bring joy and delight to their beverage departments. 

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At home celebrating for the holidays remains a fixture of consumer habits, and beverage consumption, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic, can drive sales through your register. October, November, and December present many opportunities to capitalize on this. In fact, the last three months of the year alone can account for 40-50% of your annual beverage sales. Following these five rules will make your department thrive. 

Rule 1: Plan Ahead.

Give yourself a roadmap for success. Print out a calendar for the months ahead and work backwards from major holidays. Decide what items you need, how to get a great price, and what your strategy for merchandising and promotion will be. Once you have an idea, bring your team together so marketing, consumer engagement, grocery, and management can align. Make sure to include all departments that will engage in these programs. 

Rule 2: Cross Merchandise.

Driving incremental sales requires people adding instead of substituting products. Make them shop the beverage category before they enter the department. 

Put a stack of spicy grenache next to your meat case, throw some rosé (it’s not just for summer!) by the turkey, and pick some elegant Pinot Gris to pair with the Munster. People who love chard, chestnuts, and potatoes often love big ales and earthy reds. Make sure to include clear tasting notes, pairing guides, and obvious prices on signs in fonts large enough to see without squinting. Your job is to shorten the scavenger hunt of shopping and help people find things they never knew they were missing. 

Rule 3: Know Your Seasonal Products.

Capitalize on flavors of the season. There are hundreds of special beers out for the holidays. Delicious brews like pumpkin ale, chocolate stout, gingerbread ale, cranberry sours, and festival beers all hold a place in your set, yet they only work for a short amount of time. Eggnog, pumpkin cream, and bourbon cream play well here. Find a great bottled mulled wine/gluhwein/glögg, and offer recipes or kits for customers to make their own. ‘Tis the season for port, brandy, and massive reds. Be judicious in how much you bring in and be sure to test (if allowed) the products out with your shoppers. 

Rule 4: Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles!

Focus on selling more bubbly, and do more than just have it for sale. All types of sparkling wine – Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, Cremant, etc. – see big swings in seasonal consumption. Many consumers look for bubbles as a celebratory treat, so for them, it’s an impulse buy. You want people to add an extra bottle to their cart, not trade their normal wine purchase for something else. Cross-merchandising with produce and cheese, adding facings to your cold box, and including sparkling wine in advertisements is key. Be price competitive in the category. 

Avoid competing on national brands; the big retailers have those locked up. Instead, pick a well-made producer at $11.99/14.99/$19.99 etc. that you make full margin on.

Rule 5: It’s More than Just Alcohol. 

In addition to beer, wine, and alcohol, consumers will also be looking to purchase coffee, sparkling water, soda pop, mixers, and kombucha throughout the holiday season. Being a good retailer means including everybody in the revelry. Find excellent examples of regional sparkling juices, kombucha, mineral water, fizz, and flavored syrups to include in your holiday displays. Due to the seasonal nature of consumption, people may also need corkscrews, openers, etc. Also think about things for people to discover and offer recipes and staff suggestions for hosting and party planning. 

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To learn more about maximizing profit from your wine, beer, and beverage department throughout the holidays, join Sam for a special online training “Mastering Holiday Beverage Sales” on October 25th.  Sign up here.