Fresh Vine Wine New Strategic Red Oval Partner for the United States and International Markets of the Independent Grocers Alliance

MINNEAPOLIS, June 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresh Vine Wine, Inc. (NYSE American: VINE), the premier producer of lower carb, lower sugar and lower calorie premium wines in the United States, today announced an innovative partnership with The Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA), the world’s largest group of independent grocer retailers, focused on educating independent retailers about wine marketing and merchandising premium wines, and using the IGA Better Choices marketing platform to provide shoppers with balanced, wellness-focused meal solutions paired with Fresh Vine Wine. 

Rick Nechio, President of Fresh Vine Wine, Inc., said, "The Independent Grocers Alliance is a perfect partner for Fresh Vine Wine, as we share the belief that today’s consumers have an expectation that retailers can and should support their health-and-wellness goals. This partnership will enable us to develop a marketing campaign that aligns with the IGA Better Choices marketing position, highlighting the wine’s quality, taste and overall Better Choices attributes. We could not be more pleased to be partnering with IGA and are looking forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship.”

The IGA Better Choices marketing platform focuses on supporting consumers in making informed and balanced shopping decisions with educational meal planning, shopping tips and recipes with overall wellness in mind. As part of the partnership, shoppers in select stores will have access to Better Choices-branded recipes created just for IGA shoppers by celebrity chefs to pair with Fresh Vine wines.

On the retailer education front, the Independent Grocers Alliance and Fresh Vine Wine will work with the Retail Learning Institute, an online education organization serving more than 10,000 retail stores worldwide, to create online training courses that will provide independent grocery store owners and their teams insightful strategies, tactics and plans on how to market, merchandise and sell premium wines. 

Through this partnership, Fresh Vine Wine joins an elite group of manufacturers called the IGA Red Oval family, who work with the Independent Grocers Alliance to drive brand awareness, product adoption and sales within the world’s largest network of independent retailers, encompassing 8,000 member stores around the globe. The partnership will enable direct communication to IGA retailers and provide Fresh Vine Wine the opportunity to participate in IGA’s national digital ad platform and other promotional opportunities.

Fresh Vine Wines products will be promoted to IGA and other independent grocery retailers through IGA and grocery industry and state association publications and newsletters, including The IGA Minute as well as through in-store promotions, including appearances by the company’s celebrity owners, Nina Dobrev and Julianne Hough.

“We’re seeing shopper preferences shift to lower calorie, lower sugar and in some cases gluten-free alcohol products. At the same time, shoppers want an increasingly better experience,” IGA CEO John Ross said. “They want to learn about the processes and ingredients that go into their alcohol, about new flavors and varieties and how they best pair with food. And they want to do it all at their locally-owned, independent grocery store where they can feel good about their shopping experience because every purchase supports their community and local farmers. For our retailers and our shoppers, this partnership with Fresh Vine Wines is a perfect match.”

About The Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA)

The Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) is the world’s largest voluntary supermarket network with aggregate worldwide retail sales of more than $36 billion per year. The Alliance includes over 8,000 Hometown Proud Supermarkets worldwide, supported by a network of licensed distribution companies and major manufacturers known as IGA’s Red Oval Family partners. IGA has operations in 46 of the United States and more than 30 countries, commonwealths and territories.

About Fresh Vine Wine, Inc.

Fresh Vine Wine, Inc. (NYSE American: VINE) is a premier producer of lower carb, lower calorie premium wines in the United States, kicking off a 2022 growth plan following its IPO in mid-December 2021. Fresh Vine Wine's brand vision is to lead the emerging natural and accessible premium wine category, as health trends continue to accelerate in the US marketplace. The 2020 US wine market was a $69B category. Fresh Vine Wine plans to accelerate growth in 2022 by amplifying its marketing, expanding product offerings, and expanding its team. Fresh Vine Wine positions its core brand lineup as an affordable luxury, retailing between $14.99-$22.99. Fresh Vine Wine's varietals currently include its Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Rosé.

About Retail Learning Institute (RLI)

The Retail Learning Institute is a people development organization supported by The Coca-Cola Company. The Institute has been dedicated to providing online training through a LMS (Learning Management System) for food retailers worldwide. As an educational organization, they serve more than 10,000 stores with blended training programs that include online courses divided into nine different libraries. The Institute also provides retailers and associations with their own branded online corporate universities.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "expect," "plan," "could," "may," "will," "believe," "estimate," "forecast," "goal," "project," and other words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements address various matters including statements regarding the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events. Each forward-looking statement contained in this press release is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statement. Applicable risks and uncertainties include, among others, the Company's ability to hire additional personnel and to manage the growth of its business; the Company's reliance on its brand name, reputation and product quality; the Company's ability to adequately address increased demands that may be placed on its management, operational and production capabilities; the effectiveness of the Company's advertising and promotional activities and investments; the Company's reliance on celebrities to endorse its wines and market its brand; general competitive conditions; fluctuations in consumer demand for wine; overall decline in the health of the economy and consumer discretionary spending; the occurrence of adverse weather events, natural disasters, public health emergencies, or other unforeseen circumstances that may cause delays to or interruptions in the Company's operations; risks associated with disruptions in the Company's supply chain for grapes and raw and processed materials; the impact of COVID-19 and its variants on the Company's customers, suppliers, business operations and financial results; disrupted or delayed service by the distributors the Company relies on for the distribution of its wines; the Company's ability to successfully execute its growth strategy; the Company's success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, its officers, key employees or directors; the Company's ability to protect its trademarks and other intellectual property rights; the Company's ability to comply with laws and regulations affecting its business, including those relating to the manufacture, sale and distribution of wine; claims, demands and lawsuits to which the Company may be subject and the risk that its insurance or indemnities coverage may not be sufficient; the Company's ability to operate, update or implement its IT systems; the Company's ability to successfully pursue strategic acquisitions and integrate acquired businesses; the Company's potential ability to obtain additional financing when and if needed; the Company's founders' significant influence over the Company; and the risks identified in the Company's other filings with the SEC. The Company cautions investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. You are encouraged to read the Company's filings with the SEC, available at www.sec.gov, for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this document, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of these statements. The Company's business is subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, including those referenced above. Investors, potential investors, and others should give careful consideration to these risks and uncertainties.

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SOURCE Fresh Vine Wine, Inc.