Why stock Jacob’s Creek award­winning lines?

Independent retailers state the three most popular types of wine are pinot grigio (56%), sauvignon blanc (41%) and prosecco (36%), which roughly reflects bestselling national lists and top sellers across retail more generally.
But with 23% of retailers stating that a major challenge in wine is the ability to access lines that stand out, retailers might be missing out on the opportunities that come by championing varieties that offer something different.

Jacob’s Creek Cabernet Sauvignon recently came joint top in a blind tasting with eight masters of wine run by the Drinks Business, scoring 90 on a 100-point scale. The brand’s Chardonnay won Gold at the Drinks Business Global Masters: Chardonnay Masters. In October, Jacob’s Creek bolstered its credentials as the UK’s most well­known wine by adding two accolades to its Classic range – the International Wine & Spirit Competition awarded the 2019 vintages of its Chardonnay and Shiraz with a Bronze medal.

Twenty-six per cent of retailers report that chardonnay is among the most popular lines in their stores, while 19% report shiraz wines are among the most-sought after. How­ever, Classic Chardonnay is Jacob’s Creek’s bestseller, with 22% of its sales coming from that line1. While sauvignon blanc is the top-selling grape varietal in impulse stores, with a 15% share, chardonnay is the third with 10%2. Jacob’s Creek is planning to roll out stickers on these bottles in the coming months to highlight these award wins to consumers.

Store trials continue

Jacob’s Creek Shiraz and Chardon­nay were two of the lines retailers are trialling in partnership with RN’s Newtrade Insight service and Pernod Ricard UK. Ten store owners received a free-standing display unit (FSDU) before Christmas and are trialling its ability to drive sales. “We’ve placed the FSDU by the flower display. Sales were strong over Christmas, especially as shoppers trade up to more premium brands,” says Harj Gill, of Select & Save The Windmill, Birmingham.

“Jacob’s Creek is selling really well and has become a permanent fixture in our range,” says Steve Archer, of Hightown Convenience Store (Pre­mier) in Congleton, Cheshire. “It’s a line we never really stocked before, but customers are responding well to it.”

About the data

This feature is created by Newtrade Insight. Data is gratefully received from retailers representing 197 independent stores across the UK. Any data from other sources is cited.

59%

of retailers say they always make sure Jacob’s Creek is on their shelves. Only 1% of retailers have never bought it.

56% Pinot grigio

41% Sauvignon blanc

35% Prosecco

28% Rosé

26% Chardonnay

Occasions such as Australia Day on 26 January provide fun hooks to drive wine sales. When it comes to seasonal events, 46% say Valentine’s Day and 40% say Monther’s Day are the biggest opportunities for wine sales