Christmas 2021: boom or bust?
James Lawrence finds the festive season was a mixed bag, with reduced sales in many areas but some sectors exceeding expectations.
Read more...James Lawrence finds the festive season was a mixed bag, with reduced sales in many areas but some sectors exceeding expectations.
Read more...On-trade drinks sales fell by a quarter in the run-up to Christmas as wary consumers avoided pubs, bars and restaurants ahead of socialising on the big day, as Andrew Catchpole reports.
Already battered on-trade businesses suffered further in what should have been their busiest time of year. Clinton Cawood reports.
Read more...Alliance Wine has recruited two new personnel into its on-trade division, with a renewed focus on growing the distributor’s customer base in the hospitality sector.
Read more...Consumer footfall across the UK’s hospitality sector increased between Christmas and New Year, according to the latest CGA Drinks Recovery Tracker.
Read more...One in three UK drinkers now regularly choose low or no alcohol brands, according to a new survey commissioned by the Portman Group.
Read more...With Christmas almost upon us and 2022 chasing up behind, the Harpers team would like to wish all in the drinks trade a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Read more...Businesses are split in their response to the Treasury's £1 billion support package, with enthusiasm from some quarters, while others have claimed that the amount “borders on insulting”.
Read more...With supply and delivery issues forcing indies to be nimble and imaginative for the Christmas rush, Andrew Catchpole asked a trio of merchants how they prepared for the festive sales spike in such an unpredictable year.
Read more...Spanish giant Freixenet has posted record Cava sales in 2021, retailing more than 100 million bottles worldwide for the first time ever in the firm's 150-year history.
Read more...Global shipments of Spain's signature sparkling wine grew by 16.45% in the first nine months of the year, according to the Cava Consejo Regulador.
Read more...The Connaught Bar in Mayfair has for the second year running being awarded the title of World's Best Bar, in a ceremony which took place yesterday (7 December).
Read more...Smirnoff and Johnnie Walker maker Diageo has launched a new global responsible drinking campaign aimed at urging people to know when to say enough’s enough this Christmas.
Read more...Sparkling wine and Champagne, Beaujolais, Rosé, bag-in-box and wines from South Africa are tipped to be some of the top sellers this Christmas, Majestic Wines has predicted.
Read more...International demand for New Zealand wine continues to grow as export value reached $599M in the first quarter of the new export year, up 9% on the previous year.
Read more...Chilean producer Viña Concha y Toro's profits increased by 15% in the third quarter boosted by a better product mix, increases in its domestic market and real estate income which partially offset the global logistics crisis that affected shipments.
Read more...Sally Abé has been selected as the winner of this year’s AYALA SquareMeal Female Chef of the Year award.
Read more...Jascots Wine Merchants has unveiled the first electric van in its fleet – the first step in what the company has revealed to be a plan to eventually convert all its London-based vehicles to electric.
Read more...Today’s Budget announcement included a year-long cut to business rates for the leisure and retail industry, meaning pubs, restaurants and bars will pay 50% less for 12 months.
Read more...The British tabloids have spoken: Christmas 2021 is unlikely to yield much festive cheer. Unfortunately, this isn’t simply press hyperbole – the UK’s food industry is under enormous pressure, while retail supply chains continue to be stymied by a lack of HGV drivers.
Meanwhile, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released a set of data in September which confirmed that the on-trade staffing crisis has not abated. “Sourcing staff has been one of our biggest challenges since we reopened,” says Avinash Shashidhara, head chef at Pali Hill restaurant in London.