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Waitrose outperforms the market with Champagne and Crémant sales
Thanks to the “continuing surge in popularity” for fizz Waitrose is outperforming the grocery market by 3.5% in value, with a new sparkling addition from Penfolds set to make a splash.
Waitrose “continues to dominate the vintage Champagne category, with a 92% value share in the year to date (IRI January-September 2024), outperforming the market by 25%”, the retailer said. Waitrose sales in the burgeoning crémant market “are flying at +26% (IRI, MAT to 30 September).
Speaking to the drinks business at its autumn press tasting in Glaziers Hall earlier this week (Wednesday 9 October), sparkling wine buyer Alexandra Mawson said “Champagne sales show no sign of declining in Waitrose after a tough year in 2023. And we expect Christmas to be big for us in the category.”
She is hoping the addition to the range later this month of Penfolds Brut Champagne*, will further boost sales, despite its relatively high price point of £42.99.
“I’ve priced it at a level I think will sell [well]. Globally Penfolds is a treasured brand and they wanted to do their own Champagne,” Mawson added.
She also pointed out that the price is similar to the market leading NV Champagne brands Lanson and Moët & Chandon [respectively selling in the grocer at the same level of £42.99 and £1 more] while other major players were now priced at nearer to, or even above, £50 for their Brut Sans Années (BSA).
Made in Reims
The Penfolds wine is made in Reims by Thiénot’s chef de cave Nicolas Uriel working in conjunction with Penfolds head winemaker Peter Gago. The second version they have made is a blend of 45% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Noir, with the reserve wines portion rising from 10% in the first version to 15%, including an oak aged element.
It will be promoted on price in the pre-Christmas period, says Mawson and sold in a bright red gift box, which she expects to boost gifting sales.
Not everyone is convinced about the idea of selling Champagne under what is arguably the strongest brand name in Australian wine. Asked what she thought of the idea Jancis Robinson said: “I don’t really see the point”. But while this move may be unexpected to many from a brand so closely associated with Australia, as Penfolds itself says when talking about the collaboration with Thiénot, this isn’t the first time Penfolds has been involved in winemaking outside Australia with the launch of wines from California, France and most recently China.
It will be interesting to see if Waitrose puts the brand with the rest of its already large Champagne offering or among the Australian wines, or both.
In the vintage Champagne sector where Waitrose outperforms other grocers, the retailer is adding to its Waitrose Cellar range an attractively rich and toasty 2014 vintage from Ferdinand Bonnet priced at £39.99, a Côte des Bar 50/50 Pinot Noir/Chardonnay blend from the same team that makes their OL Brut, Rosé and Blanc de Noirs BSAs.
The Waitrose No 1 vintage offering is still made by Castelnau and will move shortly from the 2015 to 2018 vintage, another warm sunny vintage in Champagne, Mawson says.
As for Crémant, she says: “We have always done very well and performed ahead of the market, particularly with our wines from Limoux (Cuvée Royale Brut Crémant de Limoux, £13.99) and Burgundy (Cave de Lugny Crémant de Bourgogne, £14.99) and we are proud of having a market share of over 20% (IRI MAT to 30 September).
“Our Loire Crémant (Prince Alexandre Crémant de Loire, £14.99) has sold better, too, since we changed the label and we expect sales to go bonkers when we promote over Christmas,” she said. “Our new pink Limoux (£15.49) has flown off the shelves since we launched it in March 2024.
“All our Crémants (five whites, including a Blanc de Blancs from Burgundy, one from Alsace plus one rosé) are sub £20 and it been a big growth area for us as Champagne isn’t getting any cheaper and there’s pressure from customers looking for another style that offers really good value.”
Mawson reveals that another French Crémant from Bordeaux that she is “very excited about” will be joining the range in the New Year.
In March, db reported that Waitrose claimed “we’ve never seen Crémant sales this big” and it looks like this trend is set to continue.
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