Think pink with rosé
While wine sales have slipped over the last four years, according to Statistics Canada, things are looking rosier for rosé. The global market for rosé hit US$3.5 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.6% to 2030, says Cognitive Market Research. It’s part of an overall consumer trend to lighten up their alcohol choices.
On an annual basis, rosé sales represent about 10% of the wine category in Ontario convenience, according to Gabriel Moreau, vice-president, sales, Eastern Canada for NielsenIQ. “This proportion increases by 20% over the summer, which speaks to the importance of having the right assortment in place at the right time,” he explains.
Though rosé sales have underperformed in the wine category year to date, Moreau feels it will be interesting to look at sales again towards the end of the summer. Out of the top five selling rose SKUs in Ontario convenience, three of them are made in Canada. “We definitely have great local products to showcase in this category,” he adds.
There’s no doubt that summer is the time for rosé to shine. C-stores can optimize sales with smartly curated stock and strategies to increase basket size, fuelled by thirsty consumers. CSNC did a deep dive with leading makers and distributors to get their insights on the rosé-all-day movement.
Grace Costa
VP, national sales
Trajectory Beverage Partners
“Rosé can often be overlooked by retailers who don’t fully understand the difference in styles,” she says. “So many see them as being a sweet sugar-bomb, which many are not. Our VQA rosés follow a Provençe-style profile—pale, dry, and crisp, with a focus on freshness and easy drinkability.”
Today’s rosé consumer: Rosé aligns with current consumer needs. It is an approachable and versatile wine style, Costa explains. “It spans multiple occasions and styles, and VQA rosé in particular benefits from strong local support.” Rosé is now an everyday option across demographics, no longer niche or purely seasonal. Rosé peaks in late spring through summer (Mother’s Day to Labour Day). “It sells all year and, like white wine, does peak in the summer but the surge in sales is not as significant as it once was,” she adds.
Advice: Lean into immediate consumption occasions, she advises. Rosé fits well with last-minute entertaining. It pairs well with anything. And sell it chilled since a rosé is most likely to be consumed right away.
Trending: “We’ve seen growth in lighter, drier ‘French’ styles and sparkling rosé. For VQA options, the focus is on quality and freshness,” says Costa
Stock list:
•D’Ont Poke the Bear Rosé from Ontario features bold flavours that reflect Niagara’s unique terroir.
•Creekside Estate Winery Rosé is a dry-style option also from Niagara with notes of strawberry, rhubarb and pink grapefruit.
Rich Fortin
VP sales and marketing
Colio Estate Wines
“Rosé wines have been increasing in popularity in Ontario for many years, driven by several key factors,” says Fortin. “Rosé wines are often perceived as simpler, easier to understand and more approachable. There has also been a shift toward lighter, more refreshing options, and rosé wines fit perfectly into this trend.”
Who’s drinking rosé: Today’s rosé consumer skews a bit younger and more lifestyle-driven than a decade ago. While rosé wines were once seen as a more seasonal or niche category, they now appeal to a much broader demographic who are looking for approachable, easy-drinking wines that fit their lifestyle.
Advice: Focus on having multiple options, chilled availability and impulse purchasing. Have rosé wines refrigerated and ready to drink, particularly in spring and summer. “Rosé wines also align well with the convenience shopper looking for an easy, enjoyable option for casual gatherings,” he says.
Not just for summer: Rosé sales have traditionally been strongest during warmer weather when consumers naturally gravitate toward lighter and more refreshing beverages. However, Fortin points out that over the past few years, rosé wines have become less seasonal and more of a year-round product, with consumers viewing them as an every-day wine choice.
Advice: Place rosé wines near complementary food items, such as cheeses, charcuterie or salty snacks, which can help inspire easy pairing ideas and encourage incremental purchases. Rosé wines are also very occasion-oriented, making them a strong fit for seasonal displays.
Trending: “We’re seeing many exciting trends and innovations within the rosé wine category. Consumers continue to gravitate toward drier, more premium-style rosés, while there’s still strong demand for easy-to-enjoy, fruit-forward styles,” he says. Sparkling rosés also continue to gain momentum, as consumers seek celebratory choices for social occasions.
Stock List:
• JP Rosé from Portugal consistently overdelivers at its price point and offers excellent quality and refreshment value for consumers.
• Girls’ Night Out Rosé is one of the top-selling rosés in the convenience channel, delivering flavours of raspberry, candied fruit, melon and pear.
• Lily Sparkling Rosé is the perfect choice to kick off the evening, with floral, grapefruit, brioche, fresh berry notes and red fruit aromas, wrapped in an elegant, creamy texture.
Jessica Fraumeni
Sales manager (Ontario)
Pelee Island Winery
“Rosé wine sales have faced challenges over the past several years as traditional retail channels worked to sustain growth in the category,” she says. “However, the segment has seen a rebound over the last year—a trend I believe convenience stores are helping to drive. They are already doing a great job of selling rosé wines as they command a 10% share of the rosé segment, which is double their overall wine share of sales.”
Consumer insight: While the saying is that 'all moms love rosé,' today's rosé wine drinker is typically a younger urban woman who enjoys a glass of rosé on its own or with a quick snack. She’ll have a glass of rosé solo or with friends on the weekend, with Fridays being the best day for rosé wine sales.
Advice: Ensure rosé offerings are clearly communicated with signage and prominently displayed as a customer enters the aisle where wines and other beverage alcohol products are sold. Make the purchase decision and occasion as simple and easy for the consumer as possible.
Summer sales and beyond: Rosé wines are synonymous with summer. More than 40% of sales occur during the summer months for rosé wines in the overall market. “This trend appears to be different in the convenience channel, where sales are equally strong throughout the year—at least during the start of the expanded beverage alcohol marketplace in Ontario,” Fraumeni points out.
Building a bigger basket: Rosé wines are a good fit for convenience stores as they are more likely to be purchased with traditional convenience store offerings than red or white wines. “Display salty snacks close to the rosé wines to maximize the overall profitability of the purchase occasion,” she says. “Or have a call-out at the rosé wine shelf prompting customers to think about buying a chocolate bar along with their rosé.” And keep in mind there’s a strong interaction between rosé, ice cream and frozen novelties.
Trending: The category is seeing the promotion of lower alcohol and/or lower sugar as its key consumer proposition. One trend that makes the rosé wines different from other wine categories is the growth of sparkling varieties.
Stock list:
•Pelee Island's Lola Sparkling Blush Rosé is the No. 1 selling Ontario VQA sparkling wine sold in the convenience channel, and therefore, qualifies for your domestic shelf percentage. Most importantly, it’s the biggest-selling rosé sparkling wine import or domestic in the convenience channel. Fun fact: Lola buyers have one of the highest buyer interactions with Doritos.
Courtney Henderson
Marketing director, VQA
Andrew Peller
“Rosé appeals to many people because it falls between red and white wine, making it suitable for a wide range of tastes and occasions,” says Henderson. “It’s versatile and social, whether you’re on a patio, at a gathering, travelling, or just relaxing with friends. Rosé is now linked to lifestyle and experiences, which keeps people interested and makes it culturally relevant.”
Who’s drinking rosé: Today, a wider range of people enjoy rosé, and they know more about wine than before. Wine drinkers are more curious and willing to try new styles and occasions. “A decade ago, many people thought rosé was too sweet or basic,” she says. “Now, they see there’s a lot of variety, especially with more dry, fresh and premium options. Better winemaking has also raised the quality, so rosés today offer great flavour and refreshment.”
Advice: Offer the right selection of rosé and make it easy to find. Placing rosé in a visible spot, especially if chilled, can lead to more impulse buys, particularly in warm weather. Provide clear food pairing ideas, extra displays in the summer and simple tasting notes to help shoppers make quick decisions.
Building a bigger basket: C-stores can get customers to buy more by placing rosé next to party items and foods that go with it. Think ready-to-eat meals, snacks, or patio items. Cross-merchandising works well with rosé since it’s so versatile.
Trending: “There are some exciting trends in rosé right now,” says Henderson. “More people are choosing convenient options like canned and single-serve rosé because they’re easy to take anywhere and fit casual occasions.” Lower-sugar, lower-alcohol, and no- or low-alcohol rosé are also becoming more popular as wellness and mindful drinking matter more to shoppers, especially younger ones. At the same time, rosé is premiumizing. Customers want higher quality and drier styles. Sustainability is also a bigger focus, with cans and lighter packaging appealing to eco-conscious shoppers, she adds.
Stock list:
•Wayne Gretzky Estates Founders Rosé Peller Estates Sparkling Rosé are two great examples of the category—one still and one sparkling.
Danny Hewitt
Manager, grocery and convenience, Ontario
Select Wines
“Rosé sales have been growing as consumers look for more options aside from traditional white and red wines,” says Hewitt. “The rosé trend started in Europe over a decade ago, attributed in part to the rise in popularity of French rosé wines from Provençe. Other regions copied them—pale pink in the bottle with nice acidity and a juicy flavour profile that makes them easy and fun to drink.”
Who’s drinking rosé: Rosé consumption has broadened from the traditional wine lover to become more accessible to anyone who likes a refreshing drink. The style is very approachable and generally has a lower alcohol level than red wines, making rosé perfect for brunch, the beach, boating, or the patio.
Advice: Offer a broader assortment of wine styles by adding rosé to your wine selection. “Rosé wine has transitioned from a seasonal summer beverage to an all-year-round product, but summer is still the sweet spot,” explains Hewitt. “This time of year is perfect for launching rosé in your convenience store wine program.”
Building a bigger basket: By locating rosés near snack and lunch options—particularly alongside sandwiches and salads, you will get a nice sales boost, since these wines pair well with these.
Stock list:
•Ogier Ventoux Rosé from France is a top-selling rosé at the LCBO.
•Bottega Vino Dei Poeti Brut Rosé is a sparkling, refreshing option with pleasing fruity notes from Italy.
Joey Huang
National category development manager
Arterra Canada
“Rosé is aligned with wine drinkers' increasing preference for a light, crisp and refreshing taste, and has evolved into a trendy, easy-to-drink option for casual hangouts and outdoor fun,” he says. “For today’s customer, rosé is a ‘visual statement,’ where younger drinkers see it as fashionable and sophisticated, often using it to demonstrate their ‘good taste’ in social settings.”
The changing rosé customer: The modern customer skews heavily toward NextGen drinkers (LDA-34) and female. They also pay the most attention to nutritional information and alcohol content compared to other wine drinkers. “The biggest change is that rosé was seen as a seasonal or secondary option,” he explains. “Now, it’s increasingly consumed during daytime and for spontaneous, casual occasions. The light, refreshing profile of rosé fits with current ‘better-for-you’ trends with lower alcohol and lower sugar.”
Advice: Add premium rosé–those costing more than $15—to coolers, especially in the summer.
Trending: Rosé shoppers continue to look for drier styles with lower sugar levels. In fact, the No. 1 rosé in convenience is Bask Rosé, featuring zero grams of sugar per serving. Bask also just launched a zero-sugar VQA rosé, the first of its kind, made with 100% Ontario grapes.
Stock list:
•Saintly (200 ml single serve) sparkling rosé has a smaller format that fits easily into coolers and perfect for on the go and hosting. It's anchored by Saintly, Canada's No. 1 selling VQA rosé brand.
•Bask Rosé (750 ml), or if you have a larger store, carry the 3 L version, perfect for backyard gatherings or time at the cottage.
• Bask Simply Rosé VQA (750 ml) and, for those close to Prince Edward County or in eastern Ontario, the Sandbanks Rosé VQA are popular choices.
Alex Patinios
President
Dionysus Wines and Spirits
“Rosé wine is versatile and is available in so many different styles that it matches with a variety of different occasions and food pairings,” says Patinios. “Everyone drinks rosé today—or should be drinking it.”
Not just for summer: Rosé wine sales are less seasonal than they used to be and sell well through the fall, he notes. “Rosés are a splendid match for Thanksgiving since they pair well with many of the traditional; foods and especially cranberry sauce,” he says.
Advice to c-stores: Have rosé wines on the top shelf. “The colour of rosé wines is so beautiful that it will capture attention and create incremental impulse sales,” says Patinios.
Trending: “It’s exciting to see great value rosé from many regions and countries—each bringing slightly different styles and at amazing price points,” he adds.
Stock list:
Lapin Bleu Cinsault Rosé from France
Bodega Toro Rosé from Argentina
Popcorn Cabernet Franc VQA Rosé, locally made in Niagara, are all great value rosé wines.
Daniel Speck
Senior vice-president, sales
Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery
“Rosé sales offer a departure from the norm of red versus white,” explains Speck. “It’s something different that appeals to both types of wine drinkers at the same time. And like fresh whites and lighter reds, rosés work well with an evolving food landscape that emphasizes international cuisine beyond heavier traditional continental European and North American fare.”
How it’s growing: Dry rosés have been on the march for many years. Gone are the days of the syrupy-sweet, pink-hued Zinfandels that were the entrée into wine for many drinkers. Rosé instead became a dry, not sweet, chic, premium wine for the stylish crowd. Now mainstream today, they attract primarily younger drinkers and women. “I suspect it appeals to ‘the young at heart’ and the in-crowd as well,” notes Speck.
Advice: Treat rosés as you would white wines and offer them chilled since they’re bought to be consumed immediately. While sales are good year-round, a decent selection of rosés will pay off from April through September. And one final thought from Speck, offering promos for multi-purchases and placing rosés near light snacks (chips, cheeses) suits the occasions where rosés will be consumed.
Trending: Rosés with their low alcohol and dry (low-sugar) nature fit nicely into the ‘better-for-me’ drinker’s basket. Packaging is always very important with rosés, too—classic versus style/flash seem to be the extremes and often with unique bottle shapes—something not typical in wine.
Stock list:
•Henry of Pelham Rosé fits the “classic styling” bill perfectly and is a top-seller in Ontario.
•Three of Hearts Rosé skews to the flashier, custom-bottle crowd.
•Family Tree – The Merry Widow has built a following among consumers who like a bit of exclusivity.
