by Hervé Lalau
During a press conference held last week in Brussels, Delhaize claimed to be Belgium's major vendor of champagne. With 72 different bubblies, it also has the largest assortment. Michel Lecomte, wine communications manager at Delhaize, told the press that, although Delhaize catered to the higher end of the retail market, their figures showing the increasing success of both rosé and vintage dated champagnes could well be extrapolated to the entire Belgian market. He also stated that their efforts to broaden demand beyond the holiday seasons had been a success.
The conference was also the occasion to remind journalists of the partnership between Delhaize and Vranken-Pommery, which is owned by the Belgian tycoon Paul Vranken. The relationship, which began in 1980, is best illustrated by the brand Meiter. Sold exclusively by Delhaize at 13.55 euros, it is the most popular Belgian champagne in terms of volume. Vranken\'s Belgian manager, Marcel Monnier, also explained that the acquisition of Pommery has resulted in better sales in Belgium.
