Buy Your Beer From Certified Experts! Total Wine & More Hits Milestone in Cicerone® Beer Certification Program--More In-Store Cicerones Than Any Other Retailer in the U.S.

POTOMAC, Md., July 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- When beverage superstore Total Wine & More says their store team members are experts, they mean it!  On April 1^st, Total Wine & More, America's leading independent retailer of fine wine, beer and spirits, launched an internal initiative to enable store team members to become Cicerone® Certified Beer Servers (CBS).  The Cicerone Certification Program® seeks to ensure that customers receive the best quality beer at every occasion and only those who have passed the requisite test of beer knowledge and tasting skills can call themselves a Cicerone®.  Currently, Total Wine & More has 662 Certified Beer Servers and counting, far more than any other retailer in the country.

"To have over 650 employees become Certified Beer Servers in a little over three months is quite impressive, and it shows Total Wine's dedication to raising the bar on beer knowledge and service in its stores," says Cicerone Certification Program Business Manager, Virginia Thomas.

"Our selection and shelf space for beer are continuously expanding, and our customers' thirst for information and guidance is growing with the new, fascinating trends in beer," says David Trone, owner of Total Wine & More with his brother Robert.  "While all of our store team members have strong beer knowledge, the Cicerone® program now provides Total Wine team members with a professionally recognized certification in a broad range of beer expertise."

Total Wine's commitment to excellent quality service doesn't stop there.  Prior to encouraging hundreds of team members to complete the Cicerone Certification Program®, Total Wine & More was the industry leader with a team of trained wine professionals who must complete 150 hours of classroom training before stepping on the sales floor.  This mandatory education enables all store team members to provide great service and knowledge to customers. 

Total Wine & More's investment in the certification of in-store Certified Beer Servers demonstrates its dedication to providing impeccable service to its customers.  The effort goes hand-in-glove with Total Wine's signature "Brewery District" store within a store concept that features a beer-tasting bar and special growler section with 12 rotating taps highlighting locally-brewed craft beers.  With employee certification and training unmatched by another retailer of its kind, Total Wine & More customers are sure to have an engaging and unique shopping experience again and again.

About Total Wine & More

Total Wine & More operates 95 wine superstores in 15 states.  The company's vast selection of products, combined with low everyday prices and expertly trained wine, beer and spirits associates, brings a unique shopping experience to the consumer.  Total Wine & More has the distinction of being Beverage Dynamic's 2008 Retailer of the Year, Market Watch's 2006 Retailer of the Year, and Wine Enthusiast's 2004 Retailer of the Year.  Since opening its first store in 1991, Total Wine & More has been committed to being the premier wine retailer in every community that it serves.  For more information and store locations, please visit www.totalwine.com.

SOURCE Total Wine & More