Albertsons Rolls Out Kalyana Sustainable Wines
Albertsons Cos. has introduced Kalyana sustainable wines to its growing portfolio of sustainable Own Brands products. The wines are made from grapes grown in select vineyards located on California’s Central Coast. Both the vineyards and the winery are certified sustainable by the San Francisco-based Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA), which identifies and promotes eco-friendly wine-growing practices in the Golden State.
“Our team is driven by an innovative spirit and a passion for providing our customers with products they want,” noted Chad Coester, Albertsons’ SVP of Own Brands. “We are proud to continue to drive progress on our sustainability commitments with our exclusive brands only available at our Albertsons Cos. family of stores.”
Kalyana practices careful stewardship and land preservation to create its wines. Among the brand’s specific techniques are:
- Repurposing grape pomace to enhance soil health and water retention.
- Cultivating native grasses to maintain ecological balance and naturally control pests.
- Recycling water from the production facility to irrigate the vineyards.
- Using predatory birds to aid pest management.
- Distributing fertilizers through a drip irrigation system, thereby eliminating the need for tractor application, lessening the impact to the soil, and lowering diesel emissions.
Kalyana sustainable wines can be purchased at the Albertsons Cos. banners Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs, Jewel-Osco, Acme, Shaw's, Star Market, United Supermarkets, Market Street and Haggen. The three currently available wines are a 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon with notes of dark-red fruit, subtle spice and round tannins; a 2018 Pinot Noir with notes of black cherry and baking spices; and a 2019 Chardonnay with notes of green apple, pear, creamy vanilla and a hint of toasty oak.
Albertsons’ Own Brands team has already achieved several sustainability goals:
- 100% of the seafood in the waterfrontBISTRO and Open Nature brands have been raised or caught in ways that help safeguard future supplies and keep ecosystems thriving.
- O Organics coffee is 100% certified sustainable by Fair Trade USA, meaning that it’s grown responsibly to protect the environment and ensure that farmers earn equitable wages and work in safe conditions.
- Open Nature home cleaning products have been approved by the EPA's Safer Choice and Design for the Environment (DfE) programs promoting safer chemicals in products that are healthier for our communities and planet.
Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia. The company’s stores predominantly operate under the banners Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs, Jewel-Osco, Acme, Shaw’s, Star Market, United Supermarkets, Market Street and Haggen. Albertsons is No. 8 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2020 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
