Magazine: In a key role

Zoltán Rutka, METRO – wine category manager

We create METRO’s wine selection with the needs of our customers in mind: we always push the assortment in the direction of popular wine types, wine regions and winemakers. METRO also offers special wine products to customers. In the next 1-1.5 years we calculate with value sales growth and stagnation in volume sales. Our experience is that white and rosé wines are gaining ground, while red wine sales are diminishing. Rosés’ have a more than 20-percent share and white wines are now at 40 percent – this share is bigger than red wines’ in sales.

Consumption is shifting in the direction of high-quality wines and sparkling wines. Irsai Olivér, Furmint and Italian Riesling wines are very popular. METRO regularly consults winemakers, to set common directions in product innovation, promotions and brand building. METRO’s wine catalogue is published twice, before Easter and early autumn. Alternative packaging solutions such as bag-in-box are spreading fast, because it is easy to use, keeps wine fresh for a long time and is cheaper than the classic glass bottle format.

Judit Tőzsér, Lidl Magyarország – head of company communication

What Lidl Magyarország sees is that demand for Hungarian wines and high-quality products increased in the last few years. How do we select wines? Our colleagues work together with wine experts to evaluate wines, so that customers can choose from a diverse wine selection in every price category. In 2017 Lidl Magyarország sold 14.9 million bottles of wine – sales were up 20 percent from the 2016 level. From this quantity 7.8 million bottles were sold in Hungary, in the value of more than HUF 5 billion. In Lidl stores abroad Hungarian Királyleányka, Tokaji Furmint and Pinot Gris wines were the most popular.

Hungarian shoppers are searching for light wines nowadays. Demand is great for rosé wines and those good for making spritzer. The popularity of sparkling wines, champagnes and prosesccos is on the rise. Lidl’s brand ambassador Ágnes Herczeg helps customers with useful information to choose wines that will suit their taste, on the Lidl website and in the promotional leaflets. In 2014 Lidl Magyarország started the Wine Expo Hungary programme, which forms part of the ‘For Hungarian suppliers’ scheme that has made 2,500 Hungarian products of 320 domestic suppliers available in Lidl stores.

Márk Maczelka, SPAR Magyarország – head of communications

SPAR’s wine selection includes products from every classic wine region. Our wine sales are growing and we sell more and more high-quality products. Rosé wines and Irsai Olivér, Sauvignon Blanc and Cserszegi Fűszeres whites are very popular. SPAR cooperates with many wineries. As regards alternative wine packaging: my view is that progress is being made in the Hungarian market, bag-in-box being the most popular.

ALDI Magyarország

Wherever it is possible, ALDI purchases Hungarian wines directly from the winemakers. Some items have been created exclusively for ALDI, for instance this summer’s novelty, a Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay cuvée by Kristinus Wine Estate. Red wines make up 45 percent of ALDI’s wine selection, white wines have a 40-percent share and rosés are at 15 percent. Three quarters of the assortment are Hungarian wines. The cheapest bottle of wine costs HUF 379 and the most expensive comes at HUF 1,499 from those which are available all the time. From our private label wines ALDI customers show the biggest demand for the products with a great price-value ratio – the average price of these wines is between HUF 599 and 799. //