Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Profile: Henry Boyes, wine buyer, Mitchells & Butlers

Published: 30 January, 2017

Buying wine for Mitchells & Butlers is no small task.

Inside London's super distillery

Published: 24 January, 2017

In case anyone was in doubt, the opening of new London hotspot, Portobello Road's The Distillery, is proof that the gin renaissance is alive and well in London.

Eden Mill is putting itself - and St Andrews - on the gin and whisky map

Published: 19 December, 2016

Visitors to the Scottish town of St Andrews will no doubt have heard of the university, its hallowed 18th green as the birthplace of golf and, as time goes on, Eden Mill.

Customer satisfaction with Eileen Ginger of Whitbread Plc

Published: 29 November, 2016

Whitbread is the UK's largest hospitality group, with an annual turnover of £2.9 billion. Harpers spoke to wine, beer and cider buyer Eileen Ginger about the drinks offerings across the portfolio

Wine Rack: Bringing hybrid to the high street

Published: 18 November, 2016

Wine Rack is calling time on traditional high street retail with the roll-out of hybrid stores across its estate.

The other side of life: Marblehead's Jeremy Rockett

Published: 10 October, 2016

We in the drinks biz are so passionate about our trade that sometimes it's easy to forget that our colleagues have other interests.

Profile: Henry Butler, Butler's Wine Cellar

Published: 12 September, 2016

With two Brighton shops and a share in a hybrid wine bar in Hove, vino purveyor Henry Butler is the de facto wine chap about town.

Profile: Richard Lecoche of Great Western Wine on the business' growth as part larger Enotria

Published: 17 August, 2016

It's been six years since Great Western Wine was acquired by Enotria and the deal has helped take both businesses to new heights.

Profile: Doug Wregg of Les Caves de Pyrene

Published: 08 July, 2016

With wine bars in London, Logroño and Melbourne, plus a natural wine fair to its name, Les Caves de Pyrene is an intriguingly off-piste wine importer. Doug Wregg explains what make the 'cavistes' tick.

Interview: Giles Cooke MW, at Alliance Wine, champions diversity

Published: 09 June, 2016

Alliance Wine's Giles Cooke MW is getting behind ambitious up-and-coming producers and ploughing a different furrow.

Q&A: Julio Sáenz, La Rioja Alta, S.A.

Published: 27 May, 2016

La Rioja Alta, S.A., has been making wine since it was founded by five families back in 1890. We chatted to Julio Sáenz, winemaker at the premium vineyard since 1996 and technical director since 2005, about how their wines and the winemaking have evolved.

The Wine Show's Amelia Singer on being a social (media) butterfly

Published: 25 May, 2016

Amelia Singer, presenter of ITV's The Wine Show, is focusing on bringing new audiences to wine with her fun and friendly presence on social media.

Profile: Neil Bruce, Fulller's Brewery

Published: 03 May, 2016

Fuller's Brewery has ambitious plans for its wine portfolio, unveiling some radical rethinking of how it's sold and Neil Bruce the head of wine is up for the challenge.

Robin Davis: The growing appeal of niche agencies to the on-trade

Published: 06 April, 2016

Swig's Robin Davis talks about the growing appeal of niche agencies for a vibrant on-trade.

Profile: Denis O'Flynn, Pernod Ricard

Published: 07 March, 2016

intDenis O'Flynn, managing director of Pernod Ricard, brings with him a clear strategy, an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for the industry - what could be better?

Profile: Ayo Akintola, the MD of Oddbins, looks at the future of wine retailing

Published: 08 February, 2016

UK's quirkiest retailer, Oddbins, has made a remarkable recovery in the past five years. Erin Smith talks with managing director Ayo Akintola about taking risks and what's ahead

Interview: Robinsons Brewery doubles turnover with five-year plan

Published: 17 July, 2015

How does a traditional drinks business double turnover, margin and cash profit in the space of five years? Angela Mount meets Paul Robinson and Noel Reid of Robinsons Brewery to find out

Percival Val Brown talks about his 65 years in the drinks business

Published: 10 June, 2015

Percival Brown tells Douglas Blyde about his six decades in the business, from the cellars beneath Speakers' Corner to selecting the wines for Concorde.

Vente-privee says UK consumers are ready to lap up flash wine sales

Published: 08 June, 2015

Is the UK prepared for flash wine sales? Vente-privee.com's Sally Scott thinks so and is determined to see the country embrace them, she tells Arabella Mileham.

Simon Cairns of The Co-operative on the growing importance of convenience retailing for the company

Published: 05 June, 2015

Simon Cairns, BWS category trading manager at The Co-operative explains to Angela Mount the supermarket's strategy, its supplier relationships and how it needs to "focus totally on convenience retailing, working within 2,000- to 4,000-square-foot shop formats."