Whole Foods' Rosé Personality Matcher Has Fans Intrigued
With a 16.8% increase in sales, the wine industry is performing well in 2022, with some categories, like rosé, outperforming others. According to Forbes, between 2010 and 2020, the trendy pink wine sales increased by an impressive 1,433%. Fueled by social media, the highly photogenic rosé became a subject for Instagrammers like Josh Ostrovsky, known as The Fat Jewish on social media, who took the stance that "Rosé is like puppies; if you hate it, you are an absolute monster," (via Food52).
In 2014, National Rosé Day was added to the calendar as popularity increased, reserving the second Saturday in June each year to celebrate the blushing beauty. To mark the holiday, stores like Whole Foods traditionally offer sales a week or two before the date. Per Forbes, the number of Americans who drink wine has decreased, down to 32% of adults from 35%, leaving the industry many opportunities to grow. Still, that's 79 million adults, a market greater than the entire country of France, which has a population of 67 million (children included).
Like the old adage that you shouldn't wear white after Labor Day, rosé has been relegated to spring and summer consumption without good reason. To combat lower sales for half of the year, wineries and retailers are getting creative with their marketing strategies, enticing consumers to say "yes way to rosé" all year long (via Vinomofo).
How to pick the right rosé for you
Whole Foods Markets has 500 stores globally, offering sustainable products and some locations selling beer and wine, as set by state law (via BlacktailNYC). To boost rosé sales and capitalize on National Rosé Day, the chain took to Instagram and Twitter with a game designed to introduce the varieties of rosé. Since only 25% of Millennials drink wine, there's a lot of room to grow.
Asked to choose between eight moods — "Thoughtful, Energetic, Clever, Serious, Playful, Classy, Easygoing, and Cheerful" — the posts reveal the wine that best matches that mood. Although Whole Foods doesn't publish prices online, other distributors list the rosés for under $30. Options range from $15 for a four-pack of Wölffer No. 139 Dry Rosé Cider to $27 a bottle for Wölffer Summer in a Bottle Long Island Rosé. The selection also includes Napa's first Black-owned winery, Brown Estates, and a sparkling French rosé brut from Robert et Marcel de Chancery for just $12. While Twitter users didn't seem to notice the post, more than 1,000 Instagrammers liked it, listing which rosé matched their vibe and adding comments like, "So helpful."
Since companies shouldn't stop marketing, Whole Foods has already moved on, trying to capture boozy seltzer sales. In a new Twitter post, the grocery brand released a "craps-style" game that includes a Hard Kombucha and the 'OG' White Claw, meant to help you find the perfect bubbly in a can for what remains of summer.