Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Entry-level malts lead whisky category to new heights

Published: 23 October, 2019

A raft of innovation has boosted the fortunes and the accessibility of whisk(e)y in the UK, a new report has revealed.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Why would anyone invest in a start up?

Published: 21 October, 2019

I recently received an invitation to invest in the BIB Wine Company. They are crowdfunding on the Seedrs platform, one of the UK’s major players in this market. BIB summarise their pitch as:

Government backs down on VI-1 forms

Published: 21 October, 2019

The government has agreed to temporarily suspend the introduction of forms which were feared to create an extra layer of red tape for the wine industry in what is shaping up to be an increasingly disorderly Brexit.

Wholesale: the last piece of the indie jigsaw

Published: 21 October, 2019

Indie wholesale is on the rise, tapping into a retail ethos of knowledge, service and quality product, writes Andrew Catchpole

Portman Group welcomes steep decline in drink-drive deaths

Published: 18 October, 2019

The number of deaths from drink-driving has fallen around the world, according to the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking.

Growth slows at Pernod Ricard

Published: 18 October, 2019

Sales growth at global drinks giant Pernod Ricard has slowed, with first-quarter turnover of €2.483bn revealing underlying growth of just 1.3%, in line with expectations.

Aldi launches free online wine course

Published: 18 October, 2019

Discount multiple retailer Aldi has unveiled a free new online wine course aimed at helping consumers find their way around the wine aisle.

On nailing the Christmas trade-up

Published: 18 October, 2019

Upselling has always been the name of the game at Christmas. But is there more the on- and off-trade can do? James Lawrence reports

UK is the world’s third largest ecommerce market for alcohol – but can you name one and two?

Published: 17 October, 2019

The UK has been identified as one of the top countries in the world for sales of alcohol online, with a surprising outcome for the first and second spot.

Veuve Clicquot to open London Champagne bar

Published: 17 October, 2019

Veuve Clicquot has partnered with award-winning US singer-songwriter Annie Clark, better known as St Vincent, to open a Champagne bar in London’s Covent Garden.

SWA in crisis meeting with govt as tariff deadline looms

Published: 17 October, 2019

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) is to meet secretary of state for trade Liz Truss later today to demand government action on the threatened US tariffs on Scotch.

New marketing director for Bordeaux

Published: 16 October, 2019

The CIVB has appointed Julie Rambaud-Texier to head its newly restructured marketing department.

UK cocktail market passes £600m

Published: 16 October, 2019

UK spirits lovers drank £604m of cocktails in the last year, according to the latest quarterly Mixed Drinks report from market analysts CGA.

At the 11th hour, how will a no-deal Brexit affect the wine trade?

Published: 16 October, 2019

As the UK fruit and vegetable harvest gets into full swing in the looming shadow of Brexit, headlines such as The Guardian’s ‘Tonnes of crops left to rot as farms struggle to recruit EU workers’ are becoming commonplace.

Millennials vital to health of the wine sector over next five years, says new research

Published: 15 October, 2019

A new definitive report into the drinking behaviours of millennials (born between 1980 and 2000) has put to bed concerns that younger drinkers are completely abandoning wine in favour of craft beers or spirits – or even eschewing alcohol completely.

Berkmann hedges against Brexit Christmas chaos

Published: 14 October, 2019

UK distributor Berkmann Wine Cellars has invested £5m in increased stocks and storage capacity at bond in the run-up to Christmas.

Bellavita London unveils expanded events roster

Published: 14 October, 2019

The annual Bellavita Expo London is set to return to Islington’s Business Design Centre next month with a wide range of masterclasses, tastings and discussion panels hosted by Bellavita’s wine academy, BeWine.

On-trade shrugs off Brexit gloom

Published: 14 October, 2019

Like-for-like sales in the on-trade rose 1.2% in September, according to the latest data from the Coffer Peach Business Tracker.

Friday read: How top end Prosecco can stay relevant in the face of ever changing consumer demands

Published: 11 October, 2019

Harpers sets out on the Prosecco trail to look at the region’s industrial expansion and to work out what a sustainable future looks like for the chronically popular Italian fizz

Top tier rum gets a boost with new Bacardi barrel-aged expression

Published: 10 October, 2019

Bacardi is focusing its energy on its premium range with a new barrel-aged golden sipping variant, adding fire to a category that is quickly on the rise.