Where does 'Mead' or 'Honey-Wine' fit on the retail shelf?

[IanB]

Lets get one thing straight, the wine-store is extremely confusing for anyone (even though I drink 200 bottles a year, I still can't navigate the average store well) so where the heck do you put Mead or Honey-Wine on the shelf.

I am facing the 'selling' position in the coming months, and although we have a good feel for our value proposition and how the wine should be sold, I have no idea where the wine should be put on the shelf?

Some stores have a 'local' section or a 'state wine' section (which mostly collects dust) and some places have 'organic' or 'alternative' wines, but most just have your basic California, international, white, Red sections.

Where are we positioning mead on the shelf? I saw in Maine it was top shelf (8 ft high) and far far to the left on the same space occupied by the 'great deals' rack. I guess I am asking as an industry, where are we making the argument for our products?

Our own section is clearly out of line, neva happen in the next 5 years, so in the meantime do we mix in with the beers (since there is so much craft brew going on) or do we mix in with the wines and try to fit in the 'white-wine-other-region' category?

Looking for peoples thoughts on this, and any tips on a successful placement.

 

[AToE]

As much as it belongs with wine, it should be with the craft beer in my opinion. Very few wine people will buy mead just by seeing it on the shelf compared to beer drinkers (again, my opinion) and I feel very confident saying that the vast majority of people who would be actively looking for mead (rather than impulse buying it after seeing it on the shelf) would be craft beer people rather than wine/spirits people.

I generally go searching in liquor stores for mead in the wines and the misc spirits, but it would be so easy to miss it even if I did walk past it looking. But, then when I don't find it I'll head to the beer section, where a bottle of mead would stand out and grab my attention quickly.

 

[Medsen Fey]

so where the heck do you put Mead or Honey-Wine on the shelf.

You have asked one of the most important question in the commercial mead industry - a question that I'm afraid still awaits an answer. It is right there with "who are the target buyers of mead?"

The few stores that carry mead here have them lumped together next to the Port/Madeira and dessert wines. They figure that honey-wine must be sweet.

The notion of positioning it alongside the craft beers might just be a stroke of brilliance. The craft beer crowd may be much more inclined to taste something new and different without all the "its not real wine" hoohah.

I hope you'll share some of your experience with it as you go forward.

 

[akueck]

The two times I've seen mead in the market here, it was once in a rotating section that often contains things like Vin Santo, sherry, and occasionally something seasonal-sounding right above the "we keep these behind a locked door" wines and next to the Port (it was an Agave mead, kind of brown in color and ended up tasting rather oxidized), and another time on the very bottom shelf near some pink wines and I think some fruit wine (it was a blackberry mel, I didn't buy one). Altogether, that's not a terrible placement of those two in particular. Neither one had any signage that advertised "MEAD!!", I just happened to notice them.

Near the craft beer might be a good place. Two possible downsides: People seem to think that mead is beer, only a kind of really strong beer that Vikings drink. Its association with honey is by no means well-known, and that it is more often closer to wine is definitely a shock to most. You could use this to your advantage by putting it next to the beer, but some folks might not get what they expect (i.e. beer) and then swear off mead altogether. The other problem is that most stores sell beer cold, while most wine is sold at room temp (some whites and sparklers might be cold). Associating mead with beer (either right in the cold case or next to the beers stored warm) means people will think mead is supposed to be drunk cold. For most mead, this is probably an injustice. Some folks might buy another bottle and try it warm, but I'd guess most would just not bother.

Personally I think mixing the mead bottles in with the wine (based on region, general flavor profile, or even just color) is probably the most sustainable place to put it. Putting it in with the (right) wine helps people understand what to do with it: a dry OB traditional next to the Chardonnay vs. an oaked blackcurrant mel next to the Cab vs. a sweet sack next to the dessert wines and people will get the idea. The problem is then calling attention to it, but you'd have that problem selling a bottle of wine too. Hopefully you can convince the retailer to put some signage there while it is a new product. And hopefully you can make the suggestion "put in next to the Pinot Gris" and they'll listen to you.

 

[AToE]

It's tough, because I do agree with everything you just said, those are pretty important points (I tend to drink my mead cold though, other than dark red mels and such).

But, I think it gets lost in the wine, and that putting it there takes it away from the most likely customers, making it an unlikely impulse buy for them.

Even with all that, I would probably still suggest putting it where craft beer people will find it, but put a very clear description on the back, what it's like, how to drink it. None of this flowery junk that most wine/beer has on the back that sounds pretty but is utterly meaningless.

 

[mmclean]

The answer to the question is based on pure marketing. The only way to "know" the answer is to test...test...test.

All the feel good, wouldn't it be nice in the world won't sell a single bottle.

Where does the mead belong in a store? Where all the other items belong, where they sell the best. (Think end cap, center aisle, neon lights, big banner that says, "BUY NOW!")

Nothing else matters in the retail world.

Find a store owner who will co-market your product... after all you both want the same thing. If they are just going to put it on a dusty shelf and see what happens, you are just wasting your time.

Unless you just need some free real estate to bottle age your mead. ;D

 

[akueck]

Are there numbers for how folks buy wine? I doubt most people go in saying "I want a bottle of 2007 Toasted Head." Maybe they do...but if they don't, then any wine they choose is basically an impulse buy. Walk along, pick things up, pick one out. I think people would be intimidated by a bunch of mead bottles all huddled together with no information about them other than "hey this is mead!". I think mingling them with similar (in function) wines (or beers as applicable) at least gives people a sense of how the mead might taste. I'd bet most would pick up the bottle and not even notice it was mead (unless it was the only word on the bottle).

As for the marketing angle with the shelf position and such, well that's the same set of obstacles you have for all products. Worth a discussion, but I don't think it's specific to mead.

 

[Chevette Girl]

That question is sort of like where to look in the grocery store for the canning stuff... generally on an aisle end somewhere because it really doesn't fit anywhere else.

(oh, and one vote over here for wine/spirits over craft beer)

 

[Tannin Boy]

That question is sort of like where to look in the grocery store for the canning stuff... generally on an aisle end somewhere because it really doesn't fit anywhere else.

(oh, and one vote over here for wine/spirits over craft beer)

Not that I go to one of these places very often:angel1:

The premier spot would be a display at or by the the checkout!!!!!
Think about it? They don't put the candy and gum there at the grocery
store for lack of a better spot....Impulse....tester bottles, cheep!

My next spot would be the table where the cases are laid out with the
high lighted recommendations for wine...maybe a short blurb about what to
expect from your mead? ( Great with a steak? ) if they will allow it that is?
The ATF laws are real anti biz in this state....
Keep us posted on your progress, and best of luck to ya...

 

[IanB]

Soooo....

Lots of suggestions and idea's here in such a short amount of time. What to think, what to do...I am hoping some of the other active companies on the forums will throw their 2 cents in.

Here are my summary thoughts.....

1. At the register - yeah, this is a great spot, but there is a very small space on most shelves, so if you don't sell, they move the product very fast. I know of three retailers who will be partnering with us to educate our potential fans (good for us and good for them) and I am going to recommend a placement on the register or near it.

2. With the beer - Woah, ok, so I can probably get a placement with carbonated beer, or even Brandy-wine style beer, but my mead isn't carbonated and drinks like wine. Also, it has a wine label, not a Flying Dog style or Dogfish Head style label.

3. With the wine duh! - the most promising thing here is the idea of placing it near other like-style wines. I like this idea quite a bit, my retailers may not. The reason I like it is because people of similar tastes may pick up the bottle and try it and it might fit thier taste profile.

4. Selling it as 'Mead' in neon - No-One knows what mead is, and so even if I used Local Honey Wine vs Mead, it still wouldn't help and I think most stores are off the neon idea until you actually start to make them some money.

5. As a localvore product - Everything our company is about is local, we buy our ingredients here, that is why our wine is important to our customers from here. If I can figure out how to sell with all the other 'local' products, that will be the strongest tie to our core values of making local wine for local people. I guess the question is where are the 'local' products, and to be honest, in most stores they are near the cash register (think chocolates or soap or any 'small' item).

My rankings are as follows:

1. At the register because it is a local product and distribution will only be 30 mi. from the source for the first year or two.
2. In with the other 'wine' that is very very close to the specialty beer area's or boarderline beer/wine area (usually a dead-zone in most stores).
3. Amongst the other wine on the shelf that is similar in taste profile
4. In it's own section under the other 'fruit wines and ports near the cigars because no one cares'.

 

[wayneb]

I believe that the best way to get folks to notice your mead is to... force them to notice your mead. To that end, an end cap or central placement and a display highlighting the product would serve to attract attention. But from what I've seen, nothing beats hosting an in-store tasting to get people to take a few bottles home with them. Now laws vary quite a bit between different states/provinces, so this may not be possible everywhere, but in Colorado at least beer/liquor/wine stores are able to host tastings for local producers. If you could get your product into one of those events, or better yet you establish yourself in the rotation for a year or so, that will do a lot to familiarize your customer base with the product.

 

[IanB]

Tastings are important

I think if we start to talk about tastings, we end up talking more about 'how to sell mead' then 'where does mead fit in the store'. I think for this conversation, I want to stick to the 'store placement' than how to sell it.

Granted, I am booking quite a few tastings at all the stores on the sales budget (stores I feel should carry our wine) but you can't hand-sell every bottle at a tasting unless you work full-time in the store. So while you are not there, you need to convince the store to put the wine somewhere, and a good description of 'WHY' the wine belongs where you recommend is probably your best bet to getting the placement.

 

[icedmetal]

You might want to check and make sure that the employees who work the wine areas of the stores in which you'll do tastings are present when said tastings occur. Convert a couple of the employees to mead drinkers and I think you'll see bottles fly off the shelves, as they are there, in the store, making recommendations to the customer. If you have to bribe those people, DO IT!

 

[IanB]

Bribery...

Hmmmm...Bribery...maybe something a Viking could consider, but paying people for a good recommendation doesn't fit with our values.

However, offering someone a taste of our wine and educating them on our product is not the same as bribery (paying for positive feedback no matter what swill you give them).

Good Tip on getting the staff involved (always part of the plan) but bribery is off the table.

 

[icedmetal]

OK, apparently your definition of bribery is quite different from mine. I didn't mean you should go like pay them off or something, I meant you should get the employees of the businesses in which you will sell your product together, and have a tasting, explaining, mead drinking experience. If you do it correctly, these employees will become your salesforce, because they enjoyed the experience you provided, the bribery to which I was referring. If you do it wrong, well, you probably won't be any better or worse off.

Consider having an employees-only type tasting set up for all the store's employees, not just the ones working the wine areas. If someone is picking up a thick steak, wouldn't it be nice if the butcher pointed out to them that the most amazing thing to drink with it would be this dark honey traditional they just tried the other day?

The best, and cheapest form of advertisement for the small business? Word of mouth. So long as the product stands up on its own, word of mouth is all the advertisement you should need.

I don't think I'm the only one that intentionally ignores a product when I feel it's being marketed to me. Being reminded that I must be a consumer does not make me happy, it makes me tear the labels off of everything I buy.

 

[mmclean]

IanB-

I'm not sure if you understood the point of my post...

Product placement is marketing. Which is different than selling. The only way to know if your marketing is working is to test...test...test.

The market does not care what you think is right or best. All you can do is test to see how the market responds.

Would you rather be right, or would you rather sell mead?

Remember, store shelf real estate goes by the square inch. Are your products bringing in the most cash per square inch? If not, you go to the dust bin.

I worked in a whole food/ health food store for awhile. Product placement is a science. The science of marketing. As with any science, to prove your results you must test...test...test.

 

[IanB]

*phew*

Ok, on the bribery we are straight, and a employee's tasting and education session will certainly be setup. Good idea here.

As to the placement and testing...I really need to figure out 'how' to test. You don't get many bites at the apple, so finding a good way to convince a store owner to move the product around, or a reason to move it will be something I need to work on before hand. Never thought this way before (and I have never sold wine). Maximizing the $ per square inch also never came into my mind. Another good thought to think about. Feel free to PM me if you want share anymore insight from the large grocer you worked with.

One other idea I was having was building small display racks that fit into the quirky places in the wine store. That way I could paint them my own color (flat black) and our labels would stand out, it would give the store some more square inches to sell product, and give us a place to put our wine without stealing shelf space from some other distributor? Finally our 'Witch' could be put at the top of the display rack on an advertising board of some kind. Hoping this would be considered 'thinking outside the box'

 

[BBBF]

There are some interesting thoughts here. From my experience, the mead has always been near the wine section, but off to the side with various fruit wines or sake. This only makes sense to me in the "It's not beer. It's not wine. It's not a spirit. Put it in the misc. section." It must work because I can find the mead, but I'm also the one looking for it. If the customer doesn't come in saying, "I here mead," he's not going to see it. There isn't the impulse buy.

So if you can avoid the misc. section, are you better off being paired with beer or wine?

I think placing it with wines that share similar characteristics makes the most sense. It give people and idea of what they're buying and what to drink it with and honestly, mead is closer to wine than it is to beer. But are these potental customers the type of wine drinkers that only a grape wine or are they willing to give a honey wine a chance?

I really like the idea to place it with shelved craft beer. While I think open minded wine drinkers would enjoy mead more, I think beer drinkers are more likely to give mead a chance. And even if they try it and still prefer beer, they might remeber to grab a bottle for their significant other or for a special occasion or simply recomend it to wine drinkers they know. If you're bottling in wine bottles, I don't think people will see it and expect it to be beer. I think the look and feel of the bottle will have them expecting something wine-like.

 

[AToE]

I really like the idea to place it with shelved craft beer. While I think open minded wine drinkers would enjoy mead more, I think beer drinkers are more likely to give mead a chance. And even if they try it and still prefer beer, they might remeber to grab a bottle for their significant other or for a special occasion or simply recomend it to wine drinkers they know. If you're bottling in wine bottles, I don't think people will see it and expect it to be beer. I think the look and feel of the bottle will have them expecting something wine-like.

This pretty much perfectly sums up what I was trying to say earlier.

I agree that in the misc section, or sorted with the wines they most closely resemble is really mead's rightful place, and of course it has little in common with beer, but I really do feel strongly that wine people are less likely to give it a try just for the heck of it than beer people. (I also think they're less likely to know what mead even is)

That said, as many have mentioned here, tastings to educate people about mead is really key. I see it just sitting on shelves here never moving (it's junk anyways though) and if it was being introduced to people I think even wine people might try it.

 

[mmclean]

I think that the question of, how to market mead to the masses, is quite different than trying to decide where in the store it should be stocked.

If you wait until your mead is already on the shelf to start marketing you have wasted your time and the store owners.

By the time the mead is being unboxed you want a line of people forming tring to be the first to taste your wares.

Start a buzz, hold tasting parties, get your mead reviewed, get wrote up in the local papers, try and get your mead on menus at local restaurants. All so that when you offer your mead to the public they will be calling in sick to work just so they can be first in line.

After all your product is worth it, right?

Dream big.

Then figure out where to stock the leftover bottles if there are any.