Mary Guiver, Whole Foods global senior category merchant for beer and spirits, and Jason Murphy, Buffalo Wild Wings beverage product and program innovation manager, joined together on stage for the first time at Brewbound Live in Santa Monica, California, earlier this month to discuss what they’re looking for from suppliers in 2022.
“We’ve really concentrated the amount of time that we meet face-to-face or on Zoom with our suppliers – we’re talking like 20 minute meetings at this point,” Guiver said. “So they have to really focus in on the high-level takeaways around what makes their product special, whether that’s metrics around top performing items or brands in the market in their category, or trends, or capturing share of a category. Those have been historically things that we asked for. If not that, then really showing up with some whitespace items that are really unique. If not that, then the Whole Foods ethos around something that you’re doing beyond the product can really get us time with you one-on-one.
“The metrics aren’t what they used to be, they’re extraordinarily muddy right now,” she continued. “It’s about the consumer right now. So, more than anything, understanding who your shopper is, and why your product meets the needs that they’re looking for, that’s what we want to see.”
With more than 1,200 locations in the U.S., Murphy said Buffalo Wild Wings has to be even more selective with what products it chooses for its tap handles.
“Most of the products that are being pitched to us right now are hard seltzers and imperial IPAs, or things chasing off-premise trends,” he said. “I understand why that’s happening, but for me, I only have 22 handles. There’s not much I can do with a 15th hazy IPA and 100th hard seltzer in my set, so I’d like to see more innovation in the beer space.”
Both retail partners predict the continued popularity of beyond beer beverages next year, including hard tea, hard kombucha, and ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails next year, as well as beers pulling fruit-forward flavor inspiration from the fourth category, and non-alcoholic adult beverage options.
“I think low and no-alc has a huge opportunity to drive sales in our sports bars next year, not just in beer, but also in spirit-free drinks [and] mocktails,” Murphy said. “That category has a lot of run room for us, and it’s something that our guests have surveyed back to us and told us that they place a lot of importance on when they come to have a visit at Buffalo Wild Wings.”
Watch Guiver and Murphy’s full conversation with Brewbound’s Justin Kendall and Jessica Infante below.