Wine Rack and Farm Boy, two brands deeply rooted in supporting local and committed to delivering excellence to their consumers, are entering a strategic partnership. The collaboration features a series of new boutique Wine Rack locations inside Farm Boy stores in Toronto, Newmarket and Ottawa.
Quality meets convenience as these spots offer a perfect pairing destination for the best of Ontario-grown produce and a premium Canadian wine assortment, said the companies in a news release.
“The partnership between Wine Rack and Farm Boy is a natural fit, uniting two brands that share the same core values, from championing local Ontario products to providing an informative and distinctive experience for shoppers,” said John Boynton, president and CEO at Arterra Wines Canada.
“The selection of wines available at Farm Boy Wine Rack stores has been curated with Farm Boy consumers in mind—featuring premium quality VQA products and winemaker stories that highlight our local growers and makers. Many of these wines are crafted from grapes grown in vineyards just a few hours’ drive away, truly embodying a ‘farm to bottle to table’ experience for our customers.”
In addition to a hand-picked wine portfolio, limited edition products will be available during the grand openings, including Inniskillin Montague Vineyards Chardonnay VQA ,Pinot Noir VQA, and Inniskillin Blanc de Franc VQA. Farm Boy customers can also expect ongoing limited-edition releases from some of the finest local Ontario estates.
“At Farm Boy, we’re always looking for ways to elevate our fresh-market experience while staying true to our roots of fresh, local, and high-quality products at excellent value. Our partnership with Wine Rack brings together two Ontario-grown brands that share a passion for quality and craftsmanship,” said Shawn Linton, President and General Manager, Farm Boy Company Inc.. “We’re excited to offer our customers a curated destination where they can discover exceptional local wines alongside the fresh food they love.”
The Wine Rack boutiques will feature a bespoke, eye-catching design, bringing the vine to table concept to life. The elevated designs include custom fixturing, a mobile wine tasting cart allowing for store-side sampling opportunities, wine category navigation, a refrigerated ‘grab & go’ chilled wine section and distinct wine merchant uniforms.
The Wine Rack boutiques will also have knowledgeable team members assisting customers in wine selections, aligning with the exceptional customer service and fresh-market experience that Farm Boy is known for, explained the companies.
Similar to Farm Boy’s InSeason Vendor Profiles, the Wine Rack stores will feature monthly winemaker and winery estate stories. Top local wineries, winemakers and products will be featured in celebration of the local estate, encouraging Farm Boy shoppers to learn about the teams behind the wines. The current estate feature is Prince Edward County’s Sandbanks Winery, and next month, consumers can look out for features from Jackson Triggs and Inniskillin.
Farm Boy Wine Rack locations can currently be found at:
- Farm Boy Newmarket:18075 Yonge St., Newmarket, ON, L3Y 8W3
- Farm Boy Yonge and Soudan: 2149 Yonge St. Toronto, ON, M4S 0C5
- Farm Boy Front and Bathurst: 29 Bathurst St. Unit 1, Toronto, ON, M5V 2P1
- Farm Boy Greenbank: 1581 Greenbank Rd., Ottawa, ON, K2J 4Y6
Wine Rack has 164 wine boutiques throughout Ontario and four new boutiques launching at Farm Boy. It carries over 150 products. Wine Rack employs approximately 1,000 staff across Ontario and is the retail division of Arterra Wines Canada, Inc.
Founded in Cornwall in 1981, Farm Boy has grown from a small produce store to 51 locations across Ontario, with further expansion plans on the horizon.
Related Retail Insider stories:
- Farm Boy to Open 3 New Ontario Stores Amid Growing Demand
- Farm Boy Unveils ‘A Farm Boy Fresh Twist’ Brand Refresh
