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Kroger online wine store makes debut

Delivery service slated to expand to more markets

Russell Redman

October 17, 2018

3 Min Read
Supermarket News logo in a gray background | Supermarket News

The Kroger Co. has begun a soft launch of an online wine shopping and delivery service.

Dubbed Kroger Wine, the service offers a curated assortment of domestic and imported wine that can be delivered to a home or an office. It’s available to customers in 13 states and the District of Columbia across a range of Kroger Co. store banners, including Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, King Soopers, QFC, Smith’s Food and Drug, Fry’s and City Market.

The wine is sold in six- and 12-bottle cases. Customers can choose either red or white (including rosé) wine or a mix of red, white and/or rosé, as well as from 15 collections. Selections include wines from California, France, Italy, Spain, Australia and New Zealand. All wines come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Kroger_Wine_bottles_20copy_0.pngPrices range from $69.99 to $99.99 for six bottles and $129.99 to $189.99 for 12 bottles. Per-bottle prices are listed at $10.67 to $16.67. Shoppers get free shipping for orders of $35 dollars or more.

“We’ve launched the service in a limited number of markets and are communicating directly with customers to inform them of this exciting new offering,” Kroger spokeswoman Kristal Howard said in a statement. “In the coming weeks and months, we’ll share more about our plans to roll this out to more of our customers in more locations.”

Related:Thrive Market debuts line of ‘clean’ wines

The site also provides wine customers with sommelier-assisted shopping. Kroger said it consults with a team of winemakers and a sommelier to taste each wine and share their suggestions. Their advice is found in “Flavor Notes” and “Sommelier Notes” near the descriptions of each bottle.

Kroger Wine also gives shoppers the option to join a wine club. In a special introductory offer, customers can get a 12-bottle case of “Kroger’s Best Wines,” a $216 value that includes award-winning wines from various regions around the world, for $8.33 per bottle and with free shipping. Participants select reds, whites or a mix of wine and, about every 13 weeks, will get another 12-bottle package delivered.

For the online store, Kroger has partnered with Drinks Holding Inc. The Los Angeles-based technology provider operates integrated, omnichannel wine programs for merchants, including sourcing, curation, compliance and fulfillment.

Drinks’ solution includes a proprietary e-commerce platform with online storefronts and personalization; dynamic, virtual store shelves that optimize the wine assortment for each shopper; and metrics that provide insight on how customers buy wine online. The company said it has warehouses around the country and works with wineries from every leading wine region around the globe.

Related:H-E-B serves up one-hour beer and wine delivery

“Our new partnership with Drinks to deliver wine through wine.kroger.com and wine.banner.com demonstrates how we continue to test and learn with new partners who share our commitment to redefining the grocery customer experience,” Howard said.

States that Kroger Wine delivers to include California, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Online sales of alcohol are expected to surge along with the growth of online grocery shopping and delivery, and some grocery retailers have made beer and wine more readily available via e-commerce channels.

For example, Texas grocer H-E-B in July launched same-day delivery of beer and wine orders via its Favor e-commerce subsidiary, with plans to roll out the service to more than 30 cities. Last month, Midwestern supercenter chain Meijer expanded home delivery of beer and wine to Ohio, following up its launch of home delivery for beer, wine and spirits in Michigan in July 2017.

And last week, membership-based online grocer Thrive Market introduced a “clean” wine program. All the wines are priced at less than $18 per bottle and made from organic, biodynamic or sustainably farmed grapes sourced from small and midsize European and U.S. producers.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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