BOIR, Colruyt Group’s online drinks platform, is launching Babette, an AI-powered sommelier designed to help customers find the drink that suits them best. Based on their tastes, the occasion or their budget, Babette guides customers through the nearly 2,000 products available on boir.be and provides personalised recommendations. It is a new way of bringing decades of expertise developed within Colruyt Group to customers online.
A wide selection, with personalised guidance
BOIR builds on decades of wine expertise developed under the Klassewijnen name. This know-how remains at the heart of its approach, while its range has expanded considerably to include wines, beers, spirits and alcohol-free alternatives
With nearly 2,000 products available online, there is something for a wide variety of occasions and preferences. But such a broad selection can also make choosing more difficult. Which wine works best with mushroom risotto? What bottle should you give to a red wine lover for under €20? What should you serve at a barbecue?
This is exactly where Babette comes in. Rather than browsing the entire range or relying solely on search filters, customers can simply tell Babette what they are looking for. Taking their tastes, the occasion and their budget into account, Babette suggests a tailored selection from the BOIR range.
Babette also helps customers discover alcohol-free alternatives, a category that is still unfamiliar to many. She helps them navigate the range and choose a drink that suits their tastes, the occasion or the food they are serving, applying the same approach to personalised advice as she does for wine.
In this way, BOIR brings a familiar principle of wine advice online: first understand what the customer is looking for, then help them find the right bottle.
AI powered by human expertise
Babette does not replace human expertise. She builds on it. Her recommendations draw on the knowledge of BOIR’s sommeliers and the product expertise already available within the organisation. Artificial intelligence makes it possible to use this knowledge to provide customers with personalised guidance as they make their choice.
And when a question becomes too specific or complex, human expertise takes over. Babette directs customers to the customer service team, which can put them directly in touch with BOIR’s sommeliers.
With Babette, BOIR combines the convenience of an online tool with the human expertise that has always been part of its DNA.
“We want to make the sometimes complex world of wine and beverages accessible to everyone. Whether someone is a connoisseur or simply enjoys discovering new drinks, everyone should be able to find something on our website that suits the occasion, their tastes and their preferences. Babette allows us to put our expertise at the customer’s service in a new way: artificial intelligence helps them navigate our range, while our experts remain available whenever they are looking for more in-depth advice.” Jeroen Van Belleghem, Manager at BOIR
Want to give Babette a try? Discover the AI sommelier directly on boir.be.
About BOIR
BOIR is Colruyt Group’s online drinks platform and the digital successor to Klassewijnen. Building on decades of wine expertise, BOIR offers an online selection of fine wines, beers, spirits and alcohol-free drinks, complementing the range available in Colruyt Group stores.
Rather than competing primarily on price, BOIR focuses on curation: the right bottle for the right occasion. With Babette, that promise now also comes with personalised, AI-powered guidance.
Boilerplate
BOIR is Colruyt Group’s online drinks platform. Launched in December 2024 as the successor to Klassewijnen, it offers a varied and distinctive range, from fine wines, including an extensive selection of Bordeaux wines and an annual Bordeaux en primeur sale, to speciality beers, spirits and original alcohol-free alternatives.
BOIR draws on more than 80 years of wine expertise and know-how within Colruyt Group, which has been bottling its own wine since 1937. Through intuitive search tools, personalised advice and its own tasting events, BOIR helps customers find the ideal drink for every occasion, whether they are looking for a gift, planning a celebration or searching for a refined alcohol-free alternative.
Delivery is available either directly to customers’ homes or to a Collect&Go pick-up point. More information: boir.be.
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