FILL 'ER UP
www.beveragedynamics.com
March/April 2014 • Beverage Dynamics 51
at a bar," he notes. And many customers fi ll a growler and grab
a sixpack as well because the draft is meant to be consumed
immediately and the bottled beer is saved for later. "We get
two rings out of one customer."
"Even if someone comes in specifi cally to fi ll a growler,
they will usually also take a look at our bottled beer selec-
tion," says Orsi. Liquor & Wine Warehouse offers single
bottles of many of its craft beers as well as sixpacks. That
makes the price of high-end beers more affordable and
encourages impulse sales.
Although Carney is totally sold on selling
growlers at The Wine Bin, he warns that draft
beer is not for the typical liquor store with
just one person at the check-out counter. He
has extra staff manning the growler station,
especially on busy weekends, to talk beer and
tap it. "Growlers are more labor intensive,
there's waste, you to have to know how to
deal with foam. There's work involved, but
there's a big payoff."
HEAR ME ROAR
Liquor & Wine Warehouse updates its website
as draft selections change so customers know
what they're looking for. With undecided cus-
tomers, free samples are offered. "Someone
doesn't know if they want to spend $19 for a
growler of Epic Brewing's Big Bad Baptist, we'll
just pour them a splash. That taste will usually
convince the customer," says Orsi.
Duane Reade also offers in-store sampling, and entices
customers with social media and email blasts to its customer
loyalty base.
Sunoco runs a Growler Club, with a card that
entitles the holder to one free fi ll-up for every 10
fi lls purchased at participating APlus stores. The
company also keeps customers current with its
blog, craftbeerexchange.wordpress.com, detail-
ing the offerings on tap at their nearest Sunoco
APlus store. In store, cards describe each of
the beers, the style and origins. "That's part of
the fascination for people," notes Shields.
The Wine Bin runs regular tasting events
with both wine and beer. Regular growler
customers have their own tasting mugs
to sample new brews on tap. Staffers are
well-versed in beer styles and history. "Beer
doesn't sell by itself," says Carney. The
store maintains an active Facebook page
and emails a monthly newsletter to 10,000
customers. Regular customers get points
for every dollar spent on draft beer; 100
points earns a $10 rebate. That customer
rewards program keeps them coming back
for more. By state law, The Wine Bin can
only fi ll growlers with its name stamped on
the glass. Carney sees this as a great word-
of-mouth tool. "People see our growler at a
party and say, 'The Wine Bin? I didn't know
they sold beer.'"
BD
Duane Reade offers in-store sampling, and entices customers with social media and email blasts to its customer loyalty base. The chain now has installed
growler stations in four outlets.
Sunoco APlus convenience stores
began their Craft Beer Exchange
program in 2011, and consumers
"took to it immediately."
