The brand story

O’Briens traces its roots to Bray, Co Wicklow, where in 1945 Patrick and Eileen O’Brien established a specialist grocery store. In 1970, they set up a dedicated off-licence in Greystones, which paved the way for the group’s future growth. The next big step was the acquisition of The Wine Corner in Donnybrook in 1978, as it came with several exclusive wine agencies and facilitated the group’s movement into wine importation.

The continued growth of the group was governed by the family’s five core values of great retail — value for money, knowledgeable and friendly staff, an exciting and relevant product offering, a relaxed retail environment and the right store location. Managing director Brendan O’Brien is adamant that these core values will not change and will continue to form the building blocks of the company long into the future.

Between 1997 and 2005 the brand identity evolved from O'Briens Fine Wines to O'Briens wine, beer, spirits. This year has seen the family-run group launch Ireland's  largest drinks store — the new Beacon South Quarter outlet in Sandyford covers an area of 8,000sq ft. This brings the group’s tally of stores to 27, employing 240 people.

Product range

Corporate gifts: O’Briens is one of the biggest and most successful operators in this growing market segment.

Drawing on its strong relationships with its exclusive international wine suppliers and the leading, local Irish suppliers, it has developed, arguably, the most exciting offering in Ireland. OBriens’ market-leading success is attributed to the extent and competitiveness of its offering and its highly developed logistics infrastructure that can deliver product anywhere in Ireland.

Portfolio: O’Briens offers the widest range of wine, beer and spirits in Ireland. In addition to working with selected local suppliers, the company has a distinctive strength in direct sourcing of wines and has built up a highly awarded portfolio of wines by working exclusively with 75 of the world’s most famous winemakers.

Innovation

Careful selection and dedicated training has resulted in a knowledgeable, highly motivated and enthusiastic staff, dedicated to customer excellence. They provide a clear point of differentiation with competitors.

The O’Briens group understands the importance of remaining at the forefront of retail change. It pioneered the use of rear loading, open-deck fridges and recently added an innovative wine-tasting system in O’Briens Beacon South Quarter, facilitating the tasting of 70 wines over an extended period.

In 2006, O’Briens launched its loyalty card scheme to add value to the shopping experience of regular customers. It offers points back on products purchased by customers holding the O’Briens Loyalty Card.

Customers can spend their credit directly with their Loyalty Card.

Last year, O’Briens launched its online store, www.wine.ie, offering a selection of its most popular wines from around the world along with a strong range of beers and spirits. By the end of 2007 the online offering will be expanded, allowing customers to browse and purchase the group’s entire range of wines, beers and spirits from the comfort of their own home.

Marketing and promotion

‘Taste the difference’ is the tagline that threads its way through all of the group’s marketing and promotion channels, highlighting the unstinting quality of the wines on offer.

Concentrating mainly on radio, press and outdoor advertising, the focus is on ‘real winemakers’ talking about their award-winning wines. A major strength of O’Briens — and one it highlights in its marketing — is its knowledgeable and friendly staff. For those who have yet to figure out the world of wine (or indeed beer!), these well-informed people are an indispensable part of an inviting and successful shopping experience — and therefore part of the attraction of the O’Briens brand.