WineLab, the alcohol retail chain within Novabev Group, has added a digital storefront of online retailer Samokat to its mobile application. The partners have launched the project in pilot mode and are testing the operating model while collecting feedback to refine the customer journey.

The Samokat storefront offers food pairings for different types of beverages, as well as access to the service’s full product range. Recommended combinations include ham with wine; jamón, lightly salted trout, and smoked sausages with sparkling wine; herring fillets and salo with vodka; and shrimp with tequila.

Customers can select a ready-made assortment or build their own basket from Samokat’s product range. Items are added to the basket in the WineLab application, while Samokat handles order processing, picking, and delivery.

Two order-fulfilment scenarios

Alcoholic beverages are not included in Samokat deliveries. In the WineLab application, alcohol is ordered separately through a click-and-collect model: the customer places an order and collects it from a selected WineLab store. According to the companies, an order is available for collection within 15 minutes.

The partnership therefore combines two separate scenarios within one user interface: in-store collection of alcoholic beverages from WineLab and courier delivery of food products from Samokat. Remote sales of alcohol are currently prohibited in Russia, so the model does not provide for home delivery of alcoholic beverages.

Vladimir Lyapunov, Director of the Product Vertical at Samokat, said that the companies see the format as a promising direction for creating new joint customer scenarios.

Market and company metrics

WineLab ended 2025 with a network of 2,175 stores. The company’s IFRS revenue increased by 9% to RUB 95.1 billion. Net profit amounted to RUB 3.5 billion, down 8% from 2024. E-commerce sales through click and collect accounted for 8.5% of revenue in 2025.

According to INFOLine, Russia’s market for online alcohol orders collected in-store was valued at RUB 19.5 billion in 2025 and could reach RUB 73.2 billion by 2029. This is the agency’s forecast and does not guarantee actual market performance.

Samokat’s turnover increased by 12.3% in 2025 to RUB 279.3 billion. According to the INFOLine E-Grocery Russia TOP ranking, the service accounted for around 16% of Russia’s online grocery market.

Implications for suppliers

The pilot illustrates the development of partnership models between specialised retail and rapid grocery-delivery services. For food producers and importers, this format may create additional opportunities to feature products in themed selections. For supplies from China, practical applicability depends on product range, cooperation terms with retailers, and compliance with Russian requirements for product safety, marking, certification, and logistics.