Booths to boost own-label, but online offering on hold

Northern multiple retailer Booths has ruled out adding further Enomatics machines to its stores, and its plans to launch an online wine offer appear to be “on hold”.

Speaking at the retailer’s trade tasting in London this week – its first London trade tasting since 2013 – wine buyer Victoria Di Muccio told the drinks business that plans for Booths Cellar, the online arm that was originally due to launch in September 2014 but was postponed, was currently “on hold” as the commerce team concentrated on “other areas of focus”.

Di Muccio also confirmed the retailer was not pursuing the further roll out of Enomatic machines in stores. In October 2013 the retailer stripped out a number of branded wine lines as it installed a 64-bottle sampling machine in its Knutsford store.

“With opening so many stores, we won’t pursue the roll out of Enomatics in other stores,” she said, although the retailer was planning to “ramp up” in-store tastings. She explained that all sites already have tasting facilities and many also benefitted from an in-store specialists to run general tastings and advise shoppers. “With the success of the tasting, we are ramping that up, as it gives people confidence to buy and certainly [boosts] sales of premium wines. We also have lots of suppliers coming and its is important for customers to engage with the people who make the wines.”

Di Muccio, who joined the retailer 20 months ago, is in the process of methodically reviewing the range to identify areas than can be strengthened further. She has started to boost the range New World wines, having revamped wines from New Zealand and South African, and will look at Chile and Argentina in the New Year.

She also has plans to roll out a New World selection under in Booths’ own label range. “We are looking at the new world as all our own label are European,” she told db.

Northern retailer Booths’s wine range

“Booths’ strength has traditionally been in the Old World, Di Muccio said, with the majority in classic French regions. “We are strong on Italy, but the work I’ve done on Spain, New Zealand and South Africa in the last six months makes it a strong range. We are bringing modern touch to the range – it is about crafting a quality range customers want to buy.”

The trade tasting showcased around 140 of the retailer’s 700-800-strong range, which has seen more than 100 wines added in the last 18 months.

The retailer has added a number of new sparkling wines to the range to encourage consumers to try something different. This included a Barone Pizzini ‘Animante’ Franciacorta Brut NV (rrp: £21.99), a Nyetimber Classic Cuvee 2010 (rrp £31.99), which has seen “phenomenal” sales since it launched in the summer, and a magnum of Booths’ own label Prosecco.

In the last year, the Preston-based retailer has opened five new stores, taking its total estate to 31.