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A brand everyone knows, but not everyone remembers
If you’ve ever sealed an open bottle of wine with a vacuum pump, chances are it was a Vacu Vin product. The iconic wine saver has made Vacu Vin a household name among older generations. Despite this, the brand faced a big challenge reaching younger consumers.
Traditionally, Vacu Vin’s products were sold through retail channels like Bijenkorf and Gall & Gall. While effective, this setup made it hard to speak directly to younger consumers or control the brand narrative and customer journey. Luciënne: “You need your own digital storefront if you want to build awareness and maintain control of your brand.” Going DTC allowed the team to reposition Vacu Vin with a refreshed look and feel, and to start collecting valuable customer insights.
A complete rebranding, driven by a small team
Launching a DTC channel is no small feat, especially for a company with a legacy tech stack and complex operations. What is more, the shift to DTC didn’t just involve launching the Vacu Vin webshop. It also meant reimagining the brand: from packaging and colour palettes to tone of voice and customer journey.
Vacu Vin used the launch of their new Wine Saver Loop, a redesign of the classic pump in four modern colours, as an inspiration to design their own webshop. The new product is made from recycled materials and available in earthy tones like terra and jade, signalling a clear break from the old red-and-black aesthetic. Working closely with their marketing manager, content creator and development and design partners, Vacu Vin pulled off the full rebrand and site launch in nine months.
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Finding the right e-commerce partners
Luciënne joined just one month into the project, as the team was still selecting agencies. “From the outside, people see a big corporate with a 40-year history, but internally we’re a small team with limited resources. We needed partners who understood that.”
With a lean in-house team (photographer, content marketeer, and Luciënne herself) the creative process was hands-on and fast-paced. “We literally printed everything and stuck it on the walls. That’s how we shaped the brand.” Once the design direction was set, development moved quickly with Code.
Choosing Shopify and solving complexity
Although other platforms were on the table, Shopify stood out. Vacu Vin had experience with WooCommerce, and even looked into headless solutions. But ultimately, the team needed something scalable, reliable and easy to maintain with a small team. Luciënne: “We’re not a huge company, so we needed something that could grow with us.”
One major advantage was Shopify’s ongoing product development. “It’s a platform that keeps growing.” Luciënne also points to the strong support and the widespread adoption by other brands, which made it easier to find inspiration and best practices. Looking ahead, the B2B functionality was another important factor in the decision.
But the journey wasn’t without bumps. Integrating Shopify with Vacu Vin’s 40-year-old Exact ERP system turned out to be a challenge. And although Shopify Markets seemed like the perfect solution for managing global sales, they discovered late in the process that it only allowed one bank account, forcing them to split the US and EU into separate stores.
Connecting your e-commerce platform to third-party systems such as your ERP or PIM can be challenging. Read about Code's integration services here.
How to launch D2C: Campaigns, channels and confidence
The launch was timed perfectly, just before the holiday season. Vacu Vin started with Google Ads and quickly expanded to Meta and influencer campaigns. “We launched in November, and December felt like a candy store. Orders kept coming in and we realised: people actually want to buy from us directly.”
While she can’t share exact figures, Luciënne confirms the launch has been a success. The response validated their DTC strategy: “It gave us the confidence that we’re on the right path. Now it’s about refining our SEO, improving the site, and understanding where our traffic and customers are coming from.”
What comes next
Now that the store is live, the focus is shifting to optimisation. That includes SEO improvements, performance tracking and deeper insights into customer behaviour. For example, are customers mostly buying for themselves or giving products as gifts? The team is also exploring which international markets show the most organic demand.
Balancing their new DTC channel with long-standing reseller relationships is another focus. In the Netherlands, Vacu Vin has a strong presence on Bol.com, and the team is careful to avoid unnecessary competition with their own partners.
“It still feels a bit like a startup within an established business,” Luciënne admits. But over time, internal support has grown. What once felt unfamiliar to colleagues now makes sense as part of the bigger picture.
Learning from bigger brands, and using smart tools
In the podcast, Luciënne also shares her admiration for brands like Stoov, Nike, and Adidas. “They’ve managed to create synergy between retail and DTC. We’re a fraction of that, but it’s inspiring.” And when asked about her favourite tool, her answer is clear: ChatGPT. “It saved us so much time. We rewrote 90 product texts in multiple languages using AI.”
What makes the story of Vacu Vin so relevant is that it shows how legacy brands can reinvent themselves without losing their identity. With a clear vision, the right partners, and a hands-on team, Vacu Vin is building its future in the digital age.
Looking for an experienced Shopify partner?
We’re proud that Code was named one of the best e-commerce agencies in the Netherlands in the 2025 Emerce100. A great recognition of the work we do together with our clients.
Looking for a Shopify agency to help with a replatforming or a new store? We build and optimise Shopify stores at the highest level. Get in touch.
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Listen to the full conversation with Luciënne Lieshout on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Want to stay up to date on new episodes? Subscribe to our Code Commerce Club newsletter or follow us in your favourite podcast app. Found the episode valuable? We’d love your review.
