The Champagne Dame has launched an online bottle shop called Fizztopia, which exclusively sells bubbly drinks.

While the idea for the site was originally Champagne and sparkling wine, the concept has expanded to include craft beer, cider and alcoholic seltzer.

The Champagne Dame, aka bubbles expert Kyla Kirkpatrick, already owns the drinks retailer Emperor Champagne. She told Broadsheet that fizz sales have been booming during COVID-19, bucking the traditional slowdown over winter.

“People are celebrating minor milestones [and] drinking more champagne at home,” she said. “Overall the industry’s down, but people are upping the quality of the booze they drink at home.”

Her insights reflect IRI data, which reported in August that the total Sparkling category, inclusive of Champagne, had experienced nearly 5% value growth for the last 12 months, with growth accelerating greatly since Mother’s Day. For the quarter ending May 31, the category saw 9.4% growth compared to last year.

Champagne was driving the growth, with value up more than 13% for the quarter compared to last year.

Launching Fizztopia was a chance for Kirkpatrick to expand on this trend, while keeping the Emperor Champagne team motivated during lockdown. 

Kirkpatrick said alcoholic seltzer had also been in high demand since the site launched.

“It’s just booming,” she told Broadsheet. “I’ve had so many conversations about seltzer over the last month. Whether it’s a curiosity or whether it’s something that will last in the long haul, time will tell.”

You’ll find the online bottle shop at www.fizztopia.com.au

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