Everybody loves a great dinner party, especially when we take things outdoors and make it a picnic. Deliciousness needn’t be hard. Your member-owners are looking to make great food with excellent beverage pairings, so help raise basket totals while improving engagement! Become the place for wine and beer with these simple, yet effective ideas for cross merchandising:

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Sangria Central in Produce: Out of department displays of wine & beer drive impulse sales. Turn a case stack of cheap and cheerful into a thing of beauty. Choose fruits in season, provide a recipe card (easy internet sleuthing), incorporate ingredients (sugar, spices, etc.) and include tools (pitchers, spoons) in your display. Beer and cider can make punches too, so don’t feel limited to wine. Bonus points for offering a class!

Wine, Beer, & Cider Pairings for Cheese: Picking the right bottle to complement that Gruyère de Comté often intimidates even the most seasoned wine drinker. Keep in mind these folks are often the same consumer, so make it easy. You need not be an expert. A little bit of internet sleuthing on pairings for wine, beer & cider can help point you in the right direction. Here is my quick version:

• Hard and stinky cheeses need big wines and vice versa. This means Parmesan or Stilton with sturdy reds, whereas Brie or fresh goat cheeses with bright whites.
• When in doubt, pair things from the same region. Some are classic like Chèvre and Loire Sauvignon Blanc (Sancerre, Touraine). Some are modern and less specific. American cheddar is delicious with American red & beer (especially brash Zinfandel or dank IPA).
• Put pairing suggestions on shelf talkers for both food and wine. Consistent signage acquaints shoppers with finding all they need under one roof. Instead of putting together a specific display, this creates synergy between departments. Simple, one item pairings easily translate into sales. “This Pinot Noir complements salmon” works as well as, “Try this salmon with a Pinot!”

#roseallday: Behold the modern era of rosé. Much like craft beer drinkers, these consumers are loyal to category rather than brand. Find a few favorites and rotate new faces. (One of my retailers offers a varying selection of over 100 throughout the year!) Keep it fresh. Keep it seasonal. Rosé bubbles always please. Add seasonal craft beer & cider seasonals, snacks, chocolates, mineral water, and store apparel to dress things up. This section works equally well in-department or as standalone endcap or display. Keep it lively and fun.

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Grab and Go Solutions is a resource from Columinate to provide easy to implement solutions to common issues facing food co-ops. Watch for future releases tackling a wide variety of topics including HR, governance, member engagement, safety, store and growth.

Brought to you by Columinate consultants: Samuel Vandegrift