Target Is Emphasizing Minority- And Women-Owned Wine Companies With Its Latest Offerings
The next time you visit Target to stock up on skincare, gummy vitamins, crew socks, and affordable throw pillows, you may want to stop by the wine section. The general merchandise retailer has expanded its vino inventory to make room for an array of bottles that hail predominantly from women, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ companies. The refresh also includes five new varietals from Open Skies, an exclusive brand only available at Target.
Target first made moves to diversify its wine selection in March by introducing three brands from "underrepresented backgrounds," per Grocery Dive. The newcomers include Sun Goddess, Cool Cat Wine Spritzers, and Une Femme Wine. And one of them — we'll tell you which in a moment — is owned by none other than soul and R&B legend Mary J. Blige.
The new inventory also builds on a badge feature introduced by Target in 2020 that helps shoppers find Black-owned products on the retailer's app and website.
Celebrity-owned bottles abound
By the looks of it, Target is shaping up to be the premiere destination for celebrity-owned wine brands. (We still have an unopened bottle of Snoop Dogg's Cali Red Blend lying around somewhere.) The retailer's March additions to its wine section center on women- and minority-owned labels, including Sun Goddess, which is owned by music icon Mary J. Blige and produced in the "sun-kissed vineyards" of Friuli Venezia Giulia in Italy.
The retailer also brought Une Femme Wine into the mix last month. As its name suggests, the brand partners exclusively with female winemakers, investors, distributors, and designers, while also giving a portion of its proceeds to "women-centered charities." It's owned by Jen Pelka, who's also the founder of the now-shuttered San Francisco- and New York-based champagne bar The Riddler.
Finally, the wine spritzer brand Cool Cat, owned by Rocco Venneri, has joined the Target party. The effervescent cocktails are made from California white wine and come in flavors including Elderflower Mint Lime, Grapefruit, Citrus, and Berry.