Asda revamps own-label wine range with new mid tier

Published: 22 October, 2012

Asda has become the latest supermarket to launch a mid-tier wine range as part of a shake-up of its own-label selection.

Following hot on the heels of the release of Sainsbury's Winemaker's Selection last week, Asda is set to relaunch its own label range with Wine Selection, which will include over 80 new and existing products.

The retailer claims that the new range will create a "recognisable mid-tier brand", which will be clearly merchandised and independently endorsed by experts, similar to Asda's food brands such as Leiths Extra Special, Chosen by you and Butcher's Selection.

The Wine Selection launch follows extensive customer research which showed shoppers are often confused by wine and stick to just a few wines they know. Three quarters of those questioned found shoppers were looking for easy-to-understand tasting descriptions on wine labels. As a result the range is now aiming to use more approachable language. Bottles will also be labelled by occasion, as this was another major survey finding.

Tracy Ford, Asda's BWS category director, said: "The new Wine Selection range provides us with an opportunity to lead the market in demystifying the world of wine for our customers and bring clarity to what is often seen as a confusing and intimidating aisle. By providing them with great-tasting, clearly labelled wine that has been tried, tested and selected by experts, we know our shoppers can pop the cork safe in the knowledge that whatever they choose, they've chosen well."

Each wine has been hand-picked by Asda's Master of Wine, Philippa Carr, before being tested by a panel of judges referred to as the Wine Quality Institute. This is a team of independent, wine professionals who will try, blind-taste and endorse each wine selected.

The range will be split into an entry-level and mid-priced tier, with different labels distinguishing between the two. The entry-level range will be merchandised in a bespoke bay and will arrive in stores from mid-October, while the mid-tier range will be merchandised by country alongside branded wines and exclusive producer labels and will be phased in throughout October and November.

The launch will be supported by a marketing and communications plan across digital, press and PR platforms.

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