Aldi launches premium drinks range
This Christmas, supermarket Aldi is looking to lure drinks connoisseurs into its stores with a range of fine wines and spirits more commonly found on the shelves of high-end department stores and specialist online retailers.
Hitting stores this week, the range is being launched to reflect the growing numbers of ‘upmarket’ shoppers who look to Aldi for quality wines and spirits. In fact, in the last 12 months there has been an 18% Nielsen data, year to end April 2012 increase in shoppers from the wealthiest social classes. In the same period, sales of wines over £4.99 have risen by 87% and total spirits by 38%.
And it’s not just the quality of the Super Premium range that will appeal to luxury shoppers, the price will too – with the high-end drinks being sold, on average, for 255% LESS than the usual market price for wines sourced from the SAME prestigious wine regions, and spirits of such quality that they can stand up to extended periods of ageing.
The range, which launches on Thursday 22nd November, includes: a Grand Cru Champagne for £22.99 (usual market price £49.99), a Grand Cru Classé 2004 Margaux for £22.99 (usual market price £43.82), a 30 Year Old Tawny Port for £37.99 (usual market price £79.95) and a 1973 Vintage Brandy for £24.99 (usual market price £87.00). All products are available while stocks last.
Also joining the range is the Tokaji Aszu 6 Puttonyos 2000 (£17.99) – a rare and celebrated Hungarian dessert wine which stunned wine critics when it won a GOLD medal at the 2012 International Wine & Spirit Competition. The usual market price for such a quality product is around £68.75 with some of the high-end retailers including Fortnum and Mason and Selfridges only selling an inferior 5 Puttonyos Tokaji for £23.50 and £34.99 respectively.
Tony Baines, MD Buying at Aldi, said: “It is no secret that our shopper demographic is changing. In Britain we have experienced a fundamental shift in our perception of value in the past five years, and with that shift we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of more affluent shoppers who are choosing Aldi for the quality and value it delivers.
“We’re getting increasingly known for our quality wines and spirits, and our medal chest has grown considerably over the past year with more than 100 award wins since January. We are sure our Super Premium drinks range will delight our shoppers, as well as making the world of premium wines and spirits more accessible to those who haven’t previously been able to enjoy them.”
Aldi is anticipating demand for these rare bottles to be such that queues outside stores are expected – and bottles per customer may have to be restricted.
The launch comes just as the supermarket also introduces its new, permanent premium wine range, The Exquisite Collection. Launching in stores nationwide from 30th November, The Exquisite Collection is a range of seven single-varietal wines that have been carefully selected to represent the distinctive styles of the best wine regions around the globe.