Accolade launches ‘more premium’ Malb-Echo Falls

Accolade Wine is hoping to tap into the growing popularity of Malbec with the launch of a new, more premium-looking Malbec to its Echo Falls line called MalbEcho Falls.

The new sku, which is aimed at a target audience of 30-something women who prefer to buy a brand that they are already familiar with but are open to discovery and experimentation, has “a more premium feel, with richer flavour cues and updated packaging.  It is being listed at Asda, Bestway, Ocado, Landmark Group and Today’s, and will retail for £6.

Accolade’s marketing director David White said Malbec was seeing continued strong growth in the UK and was successfully attracting new shoppers to the red wine category, adding that overall sales of US Malbec varietal wine was growing at 19% year-on-year and was now worth an estimated £244.5 million (Nielsen 23 March 19).

According to the retail analyst, Malbec was the only variety of the top six to see value sales increase in UK retail during 2018, rising 20.1% to £232 million, up from £193 million last year.

“Echo Falls is perfectly placed to drive further category growth and consumer interest in Malbec as it is a brand of mass scale and popularity which gives consumers the confidence to try a new style of wine,” White said.

“The brand has built its success on spontaneity and a track record of bringing new and interesting products to market.”

The launch is the latest brand extension in the Echo Falls line, following ProsEcho Falls last year, and a series of fusion drinks, including a rosé wine and gin fusion, a white wine and coconut rum fusion, and a summer berries pink gin. 

The brand is the third highest selling wine in the UK, but sales have slumped. According to IRI, value sales of the brand fell 17.5% to £156.70 million (IRI market data 52 weeks 22 June 2019) with volumes down 18% versus the same period last year. The data also showed the price per litre has fallen 0.7% since the same time last year.

However its Fruit Fusions sub-brand saw year-on-year growth of 1.9%, to £65.1 million (Nielsen 18 May 20119).

Last year the brand ran a advertising partnership with ITV2’s reality TV show, Love Island.