A&P acquires wine retailer, hires co-founder

MONTVALE, N.J. Grocer A&P has acquired New York City-based retailer Best Cellars and brought on board as senior director of beer, wine and spirits Best Cellars co-founder Joshua Wesson.

Best Cellars is known for merchandising “Great Wines for Everyday” by flavor rather than by origin, and at reasonable prices. It operated the Best Cellars concept in five retail locations.

“This is an outstanding strategic fit with our ongoing Fresh food marketing evolution,” stated Rebecca Philbert, A&P senior vice president of merchandising, supply and logistics. “Joshua Wesson’s creativity and expertise will be instrumental in elevating the look, feel, quality and value of our beer, wine and spirits offerings, in a way that parallels and interacts with our new Fresh store concept.”

The first example of A&P’s new prototype beer, wine and spirits concept is expected to debut in January in Westwood, N.J.

Under the terms of the transaction, the purchase price, which is not expected to be material, will be based upon the growth of A&P’s beer, wine and spirits business going forward, to be calculated and paid after four years.

A&P currently operates 19 freestanding wine and liquor stores, as well as 12 in-store departments across its retail operations in the greater New York/New Jersey, Connecticut and mid-Atlantic markets.