With a projected growth of 9% for Black Friday 2024 compared to the previous year, the expectation is that this year's date will generate R$9.3 billion in Brazilian commerce, according to the consultancy Neotrust Confi. The commercial data, along with year-end sales, is the most important period for retail, requiring greater attention to planning and strategic efforts by companies for inventory and logistics preparation. For Grupo Wine, the number 1 wine group in Brazil, this is a key moment to enhance one of the brand's strongest features, omnichannelity, which is also present in the logistics area, with the integration of sales from the subscription club, physical stores, app, and e-commerce, channels focused on B2C, as well as supplying large B2B network clients such as supermarkets, wine cellars, restaurants, and hotels, in an agile and efficient manner.
To support the entire wine distribution operation across Brazil, the Wine Group has a distribution center (DC) located in Serra, Espírito Santo, with 13,000 square meters and the capacity to process approximately 15,000 orders daily. Another company's CD is located in Itajaí, Santa Catarina, with over 3,000 square meters and a storage capacity of more than 2.5 million bottles. In addition to these two main CDs, the Wine Group operates facilities in the states of Minas Gerais and São Paulo, which are part of the company's decentralized inventory strategy, aiming for operational efficiency and agility to meet more immediate demands.
In the municipalities where the 16 physical Wine stores are located, including São Paulo/SP, Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Ribeirão Preto/SP, Barueri/SP, Campinas/SP, Salvador/BA, Natal/RN, Fortaleza/CE, Recife/PE, Belo Horizonte/MG, Curitiba/PR, Vitória/ES, and Porto Alegre/RS, the group offers express delivery within two hours during Black Friday for purchases made through the Wine Vinhos app, free shipping on purchases over R$ 199.00 (see regulations), as well as in-store purchase and pickup options, catering to the growing demand for convenience and last-minute shopping.
Germán Garfinkel, Corporate VP of the Wine Group, explains how the group, owner of the Wine, Cantu Grupo Wine, and Bodegas Grupo Wine brands, organizes the differentiated timing required for B2B and B2C operations: "In B2B, we start supplying our clients as early as October so they have enough time to organize and sell to their end customers in November. In B2C, we have promotions throughout the month of November, always prioritizing the members of the Wine Club, our recurring wine subscription model. Another important point is that our physical stores function as an advanced stock for B2B," he says.
The executive states that the planning of Wine's Black Friday actions begins in the first semester with an increase in demand for imported products to ensure that the labels considered best-sellers are available at the distribution center, ready for customers. "We want to be where the consumer is in their wine purchasing journey, which is why we have broad coverage. We serve the main supermarket chains and restaurants in Brazil through our B2B operations. With our e-commerce, we reach all of Brazil by delivering offers directly to our members' homes," explains Germán.
With delivery across the entire country, in over 4,750 municipalities, the group uses a network of logistics partners for regions without physical stores, in addition to its own fleet in the cities of São Paulo and Vitória, ensuring quick service in high-demand areas and efficient coverage in more remote regions. During Black Friday, the logistics team is reinforced by an average of 35% to handle orders from all over Brazil, and the customer service team also operates with an expanded schedule to respond to inquiries and ensure a smooth shopping experience.
“In times like these, when sales volumes increase considerably, it is essential for companies to have efficient integration between their channels, whether B2B or B2C, along with a qualified and trained team. Another important point is to maintain focus on managing order control, through monitoring and analyzing performance indicators. Finally, another point of attention is to offer the maximum number of payment method options to provide a good shopping experience from start to finish,” adds Germán.
Another highlight for the Wine Group this year is that Cantu Wine Group, responsible for distributing products to B2B establishments, will have the biggest Black Friday in history, with more than 150 wine labels on sale. Wine's e-commerce for retail customers continues the tradition of holding major campaigns and offers throughout the month of November.
