According to the Comité Champagne, global Champagne shipments surpassed the $6.5 billion threshold for the first time during last year’s holiday season — and Moët Hennessy expects the classic Valentine’s Day Champagne moment in fine dining will be stronger than ever this year.
Emma de Szoeke, senior vice president of Consumer Insight and Analytics & Business Growth at Moët Hennessy, told WWD that while holiday gifting during the winter months is by far the biggest driver of annual spend for Champagne gifting, Valentine’s Day is a notable time for people to celebrate.
Moreover, Szoeke said, “celebrations don’t start or end with holidays, they’re peppered throughout the year and those moments are just as special. Whether someone is popping a bottle of Champagne during a night out with friends or enjoying a single glass at home, our standard remains the same. In the same way it’s special to receive a bottle to your restaurant table, it should feel special — like you’ve gotten a promotion or it’s your birthday — to receive it to your doorstep.”
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Further accelerating Champagne purchases, Szoeke told WWD, is the new consumer journey, which notably includes home delivery. To that end, Moët Hennessy now offers options to include special personalized notes in the box and thoughtful, environmentally conscious designed packaging. Attention to details are paid throughout the delivery journey.
“What developed as a necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic has become a mainstream convenience today and it’s fairly friction-free,” Szoeke said. “We’re seeing more buying happening on people’s phones and sometimes that’s happening even whilst a customer is in a store. The physical and the digital journey are literally happening simultaneously.”
Notably, as in other categories, consumers are increasingly paying close attention to sustainability practices when they shop for wine and Champagne. To meet these demands the company has taken a holistic approach, Szoeke said.
“We are consistently considering the entire product journey from conception to unboxing to sharing or savoring,” Szoeke said. In addition to packaging and the product itself, through the Living Soils Living Together program, Moët Hennessy commits to sustainability starting with the soil and the process of its iconic brands are made. “We are also very intentional about designing packaging for form and function, because we know this matters to people who purchase our products even if they aren’t consciously thinking about it.”