Colruyt seeks expansion through drinks webshop Boir

“Less, but better”

With this new brand, the retailer wants to respond to the expectations of a younger target group that drinks less but better. The target audience is looking for surprising food pairings with or without alcohol and likes to be seduced by fashionable labels, exclusive drinks or and natural wines. Another reasonably exclusive product on offer is Ricky Gervais vodka.

“Customers are looking for drinks that they can place on the table without being ashamed, as a good alternative to wine or beer. With Boir, we are combining the demand for refined non-alcoholic drinks with the convenience of online shopping”, e-commerce manager Tom De Prater says. For example, Boir will launch eight limited-edition craft beers in December, including a grape must-based lambic. The non-alcoholic drinks category is growing fast, with premium non-alcoholic options such as Amaro from Opius.

Experience and guidance

Boir wants to tell the stories behind those products with an emphasis on experience and guidance, and helps customers find the perfect drink with intuitive search options and personalised advice. The next steps should be an AI chatbot and a link to the Xtra programme, which is a combined loyalty scheme for all Colruyt Group chains. For the Belgian retailer, the platform is the next step in e-commerce and makes the refined drinks market more accessible to a wide audience. Customers can choose home delivery or in-store collection via the Collect&Go network.

“We are creating new experience brands alongside our big brands”, says De Prater. Boir is the trendier sequel to Klassewijnen/Grands Vins, the platform on which Colruyt Group has been offering a range of better (mainly French) wines to complement the assortment in its physical shops. This should also create opportunities for synergy with other ‘experience brands’ within the group, such as Cru and Foodbag, strengthening the potential for future growth. “Within Colruyt Group, this remains a small activity, but within the beverage world, this will become an established business.”

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