Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Wine Christmas sales uplift driven by inflation

Published: 30 November, 2023

Circana, a leading advisor on consumer trends, has revealed in its ‘12 weeks till Christmas tracker’ an upward trend in wine sales in terms of value.

Harpers 48h blackout: We’re still here

Published: 07 January, 2021

In a very 2020 twist to the New Year, Harpers was welcomed into January with multiple power blackouts which cut all access to our email server.

Innovation showcase

Published: 15 December, 2020

James Lawrence rounds up the biggest launches from a tumultuous, yet ever-creative, year

Green shoots of recovery in food-service

Published: 22 July, 2020

Britain’s food-service sector is showing signs of post lockdown recovery, according to new research from information business The NPD Group.

Off-Piste Wines: Rewriting the rules

Published: 01 July, 2020

Covid-19 came at a tricky time for Off-Piste Wines, which was forging ahead with plans to put an £8m investment to good use this summer. Jo Gilbert caught up with MD Andy Talbot to find out what Plan B looks like for this forward-thinking business.

Concha y Toro extends Diablo brand

Published: 08 June, 2020

Concha y Toro UK has extended its Diablo brand with a Cabernet Sauvignon.

NPD: All systems… pause

Published: 18 May, 2020

The global pandemic and changing consumer behaviour that accompanies it have presented myriad challenges when it comes to NPD, as Lisa Riley reports

Waitrose claims UK supermarket first with ‘wine in a tube’

Published: 15 April, 2020

Waitrose has claimed a UK supermarket first with the launch of a fully recyclable ‘wine in a tube’ range.

Q&A: David Gill MW, Kingsland Drinks

Published: 02 March, 2020

With carbon emissions increasingly under scrutiny, Kingsland’s resident MW and head of specialist sales & wine development, tells Andrew Catchpole about enlightening the trade on bulk shipping and premium wines with less environmental impact

Quintessential adds two to senior team

Published: 11 February, 2020

International spirits producer Quintessential Brands has strengthened its management team with two senior hires.

Looking back on a decade - Part two

Published: 24 January, 2020

2010-2020 delivered incredible change on both a domestic and an international level. The Harpers team peers back at some of the key stories that continue to shape today’s trade

Friday Read: The Wild West of cannabis law

Published: 10 January, 2020

Look at any predictions for 2020 and beyond, and odds are that you will see the word ‘cannabis’. Looking back to 2019, a few key things set the tone for the next decade. Constellation Brands led the charge for the gold rush by buying an ever-bigger stake in Canadian cannabis producer Canopy Growth, with other companies clambering to get a piece of what has been called the next .com bubble.

Looking ahead: Robin Copestick, MD, Freixenet Copestick Limited

Published: 07 August, 2019

As the first half of 2019 draws to a close, Harpers asked key trade figures to highlight the current challenges, ongoing trends and opportunities

Pernod Ricard to unveil non-alcoholic dark spirit

Published: 18 July, 2019

Pernod Ricard UK is embracing the no and low trend with a premium alcohol-free dark spirit.

Accolade Wines launches first Echo Falls Malbec

Published: 17 July, 2019

Accolade Wines is to extend its Echo Falls range with a Malbec variant.

Broadland delivers wine with botanical twist

Published: 28 May, 2019

Broadland Wineries unveiled the latest innovation to its portfolio at London Wine Fair (LWF) with the launch of new Three Mills products blurring the boundaries between wine, botanical mixer and long fruit fusion drink.

Q&A: Robin Copestick, co-managing director, Freixenet Copestick

Published: 07 February, 2019

It’s hard to overstate the impact that I Heart has had on the trajectory of Robin Copetsick’s business – formerly Copestick Murray and, as of January 1, Freixenet Copestick – and where it is today.

Google searches for Dry January up 35% on last year as Gen Z knuckles down with no and low

Published: 31 January, 2019

Low and no alcohol serves can no longer be seen as “the poor cousin at the back of the bar” a number of industry experts agreed when faced with the question of what to do about the most teetotal generation in living memory.

Thirsty Work

Published: 19 December, 2018

There’s been no shortage of innovation in wines and spirits over the past year.

Suppliers “operate in a climate of fear” warns FDF in Asda-Sainsbury’s probe

Published: 14 November, 2018

“Suppliers effectively operate in a climate of fear as Sainsbury’s and Asda act as gatekeepers to the market”, the Food and Drinks Federation (FDF) has said in the latest round of consultations on the proposed supermarket merger.