Ste. Michelle Wine Estates
Reinventing In-Store Displays
What began as a premium brand presence had become a visual liability — and the retailer was ready to pull it. Here's how a 24-hour response turned a failing display program into a decade-long retail asset.
Failing Displays = Failing Trust
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates had invested in custom displays positioned beneath the seafood glass counters at Kroger for four of their leading brands. Within one year, the units were falling apart. Particle board was swelling, hardware had failed, and signage was visibly warped. What was intended as a premium brand presence had become a visual liability.
Kroger store managers began flagging the issue, threatening to remove the displays entirely. Ste. Michelle needed to act fast to salvage both their brand image and their retail relationship.
From Problem to Field Evaluation in 24 Hours
Once Ste. Michelle alerted Team Material, we deployed consultants to affected Kroger locations within one day. We documented failures, interviewed store staff, and gathered retailer feedback.
One week later, our team returned with multiple reengineered solutions that prioritized longevity, mobility, and modularity. Each concept was reviewed with Ste. Michelle's brand and trade marketing teams.
Built for a Decade, Not a Season
We engineered a new display using commercial-grade metal construction and magnetic signage panels. This meant easy updates, evergreen use, and no more campaign-specific print waste. Each unit included heavy-duty caster wheels to ensure mobility for store staff while maintaining durability. The base units were designed to visually anchor each wine brand while elevating the Kroger seafood section.
- Materials: Metal + magnetic panel system
- Use case: Under-counter retail display (seafood department)
- Designed lifespan: 10+ years
- Visual: Timeless brand-forward design with modular message areas
3 Weeks from Approval to In-Store Samples
Once approved, we worked with our production partners to fabricate functional preproduction samples. These were placed into high-priority Kroger locations for testing. Our team gathered real-time data from field teams and store managers to validate performance before initiating full rollout.
8 Weeks Later: Region-Wide Rollout
Final production units were delivered to distributor warehouses across the Pacific Northwest. We managed all production, logistics, and fulfillment to meet Kroger's regional rollout timeline.
Stronger Partnerships, Smarter Investment
Ste. Michelle not only retained their premium retail footprint, they strengthened their relationship with Kroger by solving a pain point quickly and professionally. The new displays saved cost over time by eliminating repeated replacements and creating a flexible platform for future campaigns.
"These units gave us back credibility with our buyers. They're built to last and adapt — we wish we'd done this earlier."