Opening growth channels: Sobr Market pops top on Walmart bottle shops

In another growth spurt, a Winnipeg-born company is expanding its non-alcoholic bottle shops across Canadian Walmart locations.

“This particular one has citrus notes,” said Kyle Markowski, pointing to an alcohol-free spirit on a shelf.

A shop within 2370 McPhillips St.’s vestibule — possibly once a Walmart photo centre — is now filled with faux wines, beers and spirits. It’s the first of at least five stores Sobr Market will operate through the Walmart retail chain.

Markowski is leading the new Winnipeg location. The next will open in Calgary, though a date hasn’t been set, said co-owner Jessie Halliburton.

She’s aiming to unveil the latter three shops — in Saskatoon, Surrey and London, Ont. — early next year. Five more could also open in 2026, but details haven’t been finalized, Halliburton said.

“We’re very excited,” she continued. “The mission of Sobr Market has always been to make non-alcoholic beverages more accessible.”

She and husband Shane Halliburton started Sobr Market as an online shop in 2022. It’s since opened three Winnipeg locales — including in Walmart — and five hubs outside Manitoba.

The Walmart deal has been six months in the making, Halliburton said. She declined to comment on how long Sobr Market will be found in the massive retailer, citing a confidentiality agreement with Walmart.

She expects to hire four staff for each new Walmart bottle shop.

It’s Sobr Market’s latest channel of growth. Last year, the company began a franchise offshoot. It’s added three Ontario stores and one in British Columbia through the model.

“We know lots of people are interested in bringing this to their towns, but they don’t want to necessarily go through all the development of the brand,” Halliburton said. “That’s why we’re here to support.”

The Halliburtons own a store in British Columbia. They created a Sobr Market underneath the Portage Avenue and Main Street intersection in May, sharing space with Made Here, a gift shop.

It helps “bring in traffic that we wouldn’t have seen,” said Made Here owner Lindsay Cabato.

The global market for no- and low-alcohol beverages could reach US$359 million, a 2024 Bacardi trends report projected.

Traditional grocery stores seem to offer more non-alcoholic options, said John Graham, Retail Council of Canada director of government relations for the Prairies.

“It’s always interesting to see stores experiment with new offerings,” he said of Walmart’s deal with Sobr Market. “Retail is a very competitive sector.

“By finding new ways to attract people to your business, and to bring people in store versus simply shopping online, it’s always a positive thing.”

Canadians are looking for non-alcoholic options, Walmart spokesperson Amanda Moss wrote in a statement. “We’re listening.”

The McPhillips Sobr Market will operate 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com