I'm head'n over to Sam's club, buy me a case of toilet paper, 100 lbs of frozen chicken, two gross of paper plates, and two 40 gallon barrels of wine - one red, one white:
Wal-Mart To Sell Own Brand of Wine
By Jamie Stengle Associated Press Writer
Friday, Sept. 29, 2000; 7:29 p.m. EDT
LITTLE ROCK –– Some Wal-Mart customers soon will be able to sample a new discount item – Wal-Mart's own brand of wine.
The world's largest retail chain will begin selling Alcott Ridge Vineyards worldwide next Thursday, teaming up with E&J Gallo Winery of Modesto, Calif., to produce the spirits at an affordable price.
While wine connoisseurs may not be inclined to throw a bottle of Wal-Mart brand wine into their shopping carts, there is a market for cheap wine, said Kathy Micken, professor of marketing at Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I.
"There is wine in a box that people are willing to buy," she said.
Wal-Mart spokesman Hank Ernest said the company sells wine products in 38 states and worldwide. The corked wine will sell from about $6 to $7 a standard bottle (750 milliliters) and be available in Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot and White Zinfandel varieties, he said.
In the U.S., Alcott Ridge Vineyards will be sold only in the stores that currently sell wine.
"Many of our customers are demanding a greater selection of wine products at prices they can afford. We believe that Alcott Vineyards will help us meet that demand," said John Ryan, senior vice president of global sourcing for Bentonville-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
The bottle will not carry the name Wal-Mart or Gallo.
Justin Morris, a professor of food science at the University of Arkansas, said Wal-Mart's move to sell its own brand of wine makes sense.
"Wine certainly is becoming a popular food item," he said. "It's becoming certainly more and more the accepted drink of moderation."
Most people in Europe think of wine as a food, he said. "This country is probably moving in that direction and Wal-Mart probably sees this as an opportunity."
© Copyright 2000 The Associated Press
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