Beer caves boosting alcohol sales for Parfetts Go Local retailers

Parfetts retailers are enjoying a 30% surge in alcohol sales on average after installing a ‘beer cave’ concept in their stores.

The wholesaler told The Grocer it had rolled out the concept – which is a chilled room housing beer, cider, wine, and RTDs – in 20 Go Local symbol stores so far.

First introduced in a single store in Preston in 2021, the beer cave rollout had accelerated to other sites this year and demand was “gaining momentum”, with 20 more stores in the pipeline, said joint MD Guy Swindell.

“One of the advantages that a convenience store has over a supermarket is alcohol being chilled,” said Swindell. “So we’re elevating that USP to create a talking point and a more memorable experience for the shopper.”

He said the chilled rooms could hold up to 200 SKUs, depending on the store’s size, and were usually adopted by retailers operating in larger formats, such as those with the Go Local Extra fascia.

It comes as Parfetts continues to grow its symbol estate, boosted by the opening of its Birmingham depot in April 2023.

With the new warehouse enabling it to expand its delivered network, the wholesaler said it had now opened 100 new Go Local stores, extending into areas including Gloucester and Bristol.

“The exciting thing about Birmingham is that it wasn’t just about going into a thriving cash & carry market, it created the opportunity to expand our delivered and symbol estate, and that’s exactly what we’ve done,” said Swindell. “It’s exciting to see the symbol estate become a real national proposition now.”

As it approaches 1,500 symbol stores, Swindell added that it was increasing the number of business development managers on the road and developing its merchandising teams. “The store numbers are great but we’re now also upping our game on the quality of the stores,” he added.

Parfetts also continues to develop its own-label range, which is set to reach 200 SKUs by the end of the year. Over the past 12 months, it has added new lines including cereal, sweets and energy drinks.

“We’ve seen a significant increase in own-label sales, as it is attracting increasingly price-conscious shoppers,” he said.