French winery and champagne producer Moët & Chandon is preparing for New Year's Eve this year with fresh e-commerce offerings designed to encourage people to celebrate at home.
The wine and spirits brand is launching The New Year's Eve WISH-SHOP, a destination for special holiday offerings that also gives customers a chance to win a drop-in to their holiday party from actress Tracee Ellis Ross, DJ Steve Aoki, or actor Darren Criss.
The initiative comes as Moët & Chandon caps off a difficult year for on-premise sales. The company has doubled down on e-commerce offerings as customers drink more at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns.
"I have to say that despite obviously the on-premise being in a very difficult situation, our business has been very resilient, especially as we see the e-retail and, as we like to call it, the e-premises really explode," Anne-Sophie Stock, vice president of Moet & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, and Chandon U.S., told Cheddar.
Stock explained that the company was lucky to have already integrated with third-party delivery partners such as Drizly prior to the pandemic.
"Now that consumers and all people are looking for e-retails to have the one-hour delivery, this has really paid off in the last few months," she said.
The WISH-SHOP is one more way the company is meeting customers where they are. Those who sign up have a chance to win a cocktail making experience with Tracee Ellis Ross, a serenade with Darren Criss, or a virtual hangout with DJ Steve Aoki.
"We are lucky that champagne is really the essence of celebration," Stock said. "So basically, even if it's going to be the biggest at-home, it's going to be a holiday season, and we are always ready, in champagne, to celebrate with everybody at home this year."
Outside of coronavirus, Moët has also faced growing competition from hard seltzer this year — but Stock said more bubbly drinks on the market is an opportunity rather than a challenge.
"I think that anything bubbles for me and for us is an opportunity. I think that as we have seen a lot of people are really looking for a bubbly experience," she said.
In line with this, she said champagne sales were higher than usual over the summer,
"Basically this type of product really opened up the palate of people, and they're really looking into exploring," she said. "So the more the merrier. We always say that."
