Harpers’ Shop Rioja winners help deliver big value uplift

By Harpers Editorial team

Published: 20 December, 2017

This year’s Shop Rioja winners Cork’s Out and Mumbles Fine Wines helped drive an 82.5% increase in volume sales, with an impressive average sale price per bottle of £18.50, across the 100 independent outlets involved in the promotion.

Joining those winners of the Large Merchant and Small Merchant categories, both of which have been awarded £1,000 to go towards new Rioja listings, were the Highly Commended participants Lea & Sandeman and Highbury Vintners, with Noble Green Wines also gaining recognition for best Social Media Campaign award.

The success of the collective activities, which took place across the month of October, requiring participants to add new wines to their Rioja range and then promote the category in imaginative and engaging ways, is perhaps best gauged by the uplift in average sales price to £18.50 against the national average for all wine at £5.59.

Cork’s Out promoted its entire range throughout October, backing this with a series of tastings and online activity designed to educate consumers about the region.

“Our team thoroughly enjoyed taking part in this year’s Shop Rioja, their passion and drive for Rioja wines has really shone through to our customers, who are now converted to the wonderful wines of the region,” said Hayley Staunton, marketing director at Corks Out.

Mumbles Fine Wine manager John Moore, who added seven new Riojas to a 17-strong range, put on a mix of Rioja dinners, a new wine on tasting ever day and customer raffles to help drive customer interest and sales.

‘‘We saw a direct increase in customer engagement with regards to Rioja...many of our regular and new customers commented positively on the opportunity to try new wines and expand their knowledge of the region,“ said Moore.

Shop Rioja was launched in 2012 with the aim of heightening consumer awareness of the region through both in-store and online promotional activity by participating independent merchants.

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