EXCLUSIVE: Target to Have a Section Dedicated to Fan-favorite Nonalcoholic Drinks
Dry January is now an all-year-round affair.
Target is betting on nonalcoholic beverages by dedicating part of its adult beverage aisle to the category. The retailer partnered with Sèchey, a Charleston, S.C.-based nonalcoholic retailer that also has its own line of beverages, to curate the assortment, which includes Ghia, Bella Hadid’s Kin Euphorics, Surely, Katy Perry’s De Soi, Starla, Free AF, Mingle, Edna’s and Mocktail Club, as well as Sèchey’s house brand. The assortment will be available at select Target doors nationwide that have licenses to sell alcohol.
More from WWD
The Body Shop's Subsidiary Enters Into Administration in France
Klarna Launches 'Wikipink' in a Bold Move for Greater Transparency in Credit Industry
“It’s in the adult beverage aisle because we are mimicking adult drinking behavior,” said Sèchey founder Emily Heintz. “This is really about curation and bringing the best of the category because it’s confusing.”
Target previously partnered with Sèchey during the holidays to curate a temporary nonalcoholic assortment endcap near the adult beverage aisle. With the success of this partnership and the ongoing popularity of the category, the retailer is making a commitment to the dry movement.
“With an increasing number of consumers looking for alternatives to alcohol, we’re excited to partner with Sèchey to help give shoppers more choices when it comes to healthier ways to enjoy time with friends or unwind at the end of the day,” said Rick Gomez, executive vice president and chief food, essentials and beauty officer at Target. “Nonalcoholic beverages are a big growth category for us, and this exclusive partnership is another great example of Target’s ability to both curate an assortment that meets changing consumer needs and introduce powerful emerging brands to millions of our guests.”
This partnership comes on the heels of Target’s recent announcement that it would add 1,000 new wellness products to its assortment this year.
Experts say the nonalcoholic space has continued to boom, especially as consumers are increasingly becoming sober curious and cutting back on alcohol consumption.
“Interest in the nonalcoholic space is growing rapidly, and it’s smart business for larger retailers — and other smaller stores, too — to offer nonalcoholic options for consumers,” said Hilary Sheinbaum, a dry space expert and author of “The Dry Challenge.” “Currently, people are actively questioning their relationship with alcohol, and Gen Z drinks less than the generations before them. If this is any indication for what the future holds, it’s important for all retailers to consider what’s on their shelves.”
With this partnership, dry beverages will become more accessible nationwide.
“It’s a cultural shift and part of the challenge has been accessibility,” said Heintz. “The fact that a mass retailer is embracing alternatives is significant as an acceptance of nonalcoholic being here to stay.”
