Published: 11 December, 2023
As MD of a spirits distribution company, you might imagine that my home bar is huge. And guess what – you’d be absolutely right. As someone who genuinely loves a good, stiff drink, learning about new producers and brands is one of the biggest perks of the job. And as a result of that perk, I’m now the proud owner of the best stocked bar in Woodford Green. So, in case it’s of any interest at all to the booze enthusiasts among you, here’s exactly what I’ve got stocked on my own bar at home.
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Published: 08 December, 2023
Good and great design can only enhance the liquid in the bottle, while communicating much to the consumer. Andrew Catchpole reports back from Harpers Design Awards 2023.
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Published: 22 November, 2023
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has quelled fears of a second duty rise this year in this afternoon’s Autumn Budget, by announcing a freeze until August next year.
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Published: 13 November, 2023
Diageo has issued an unexpected trading statement to warn that this year’s revenue and profit will be significantly lower than the group previously expected – a blow which has had a serious knock-on effect for the European drinks sector.
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Published: 01 November, 2023
New drinks agency Drinks One has launched an ecommerce arm aimed at both trade and consumer as part of its disruptive strategy to allow brands to bypass the traditional middleman.
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Published: 26 October, 2023
Increasing numbers of international producers are joining Wine Paris and Vinexpo Paris 2024 with both new attendees and a more extensive exhibition footprint driving up attendances.
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Published: 16 October, 2023
When it comes to this point of the year, customers start turning their thoughts towards Christmas. I know we say this every year, but Christmas 2023 really is going to be one of the most important festive seasons of the last ten years. While a great season won’t solve the various problems put upon the industry by government (duty hikes, rail strikes, and soaring energy costs, to name but a few) it’ll certainly go some way to protecting against the inevitable quiet months in early 2024.
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Published: 16 October, 2023
This November, UK restaurant group Dishoom will open Permit Room in Brighton – a standalone bar taking its influence from the permit rooms, beer bars and drinking holes of Bombay’s post prohibition-era of the 1960s and 1970s. The all-day bar-café will be heavily focused on the drinks offer, with a brand new cocktail and drinks list featuring alongside an all-new menu of ‘moreish drinking food’. Permit Room’s new home in the Brighton Lanes also harks back to Bombay’s original permit rooms in tucked away side roads, many of which are still open today.
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Published: 05 October, 2023
In many ways, alcohol seems to be ahead of the curve when it comes to sustainability agendas. Wine producers around the world work on nature’s front line and are among the few sectors to have successfully high recycling rates globally via glass. Spirits have been at the forefront of experiments with alternative formats and zero waste projects.
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Published: 27 September, 2023
Many years ago I was asked to act as a strategic consultant to a Chilean wine business. They wanted help with reformulating their strategy, first to achieve break even, then to reach sustainable profitability. The business was 100% targeted at export markets, with the UK a key priority.
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Published: 11 September, 2023
Historic London-based merchant Berry Bros. & Rudd is revamping its spirits portfolio, with the launch of The Collective, a new annual release of spirits, which brings together a group of like-minded distillers.
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Published: 16 August, 2023
Midway through 2023, Harpers is taking stock of yet another turbulent year for the drinks trade, with plenty of highs and lows, so far. We continue our series with Mark Bedford, owner and director, Caviste and The Spirits Room, to find out how the year as gone so far, and what the remainder may bring.
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Published: 15 August, 2023
Enotria & Coe has announced the appointment of Julian Momen as its new chief operating officer (COO), who has joined the company after holding several top jobs across the industry.
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Published: 14 August, 2023
Mid way through 2023, Harpers is taking stock of yet another turbulent year for the drinks trade, with plenty of highs and lows, so far. We continue our series with Matteo Furlan, head of wines, The Dorchester London, to find out how the year as gone so far, and what the remainder may bring.
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Published: 08 August, 2023
It doesn’t seem to matter what flavour of government you have at the moment – when it comes to the spirits and hospitality industries, there’s a stench of incompetence. In Scotland we have the incredibly public failure of the DRS scheme, which, as a result, has wasted millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money. But don’t be fooled – it really is no better, south of the border. Westminster will raise you a cock up, in the form of the increased duty rates.
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Published: 04 August, 2023
So, the deadline has come and gone – and despite an avalanche of criticism, including a letter sent by Hennings Wine owner Matt Hennings to his local MP in June, begging the government to wake up and smell the bonfire, the trade is now facing increases to the tune of 20% or 44p per 75cl bottle.
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Published: 02 August, 2023
Midway through 2023, Harpers is taking stock of yet another turbulent year for the drinks trade, with plenty of highs and lows, so far. We continue our series with Vanessa Stolz, head sommelier at Restaurant Pine, to find out how the year has gone so far, and what the remainder may bring.
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Influencing consumers is something that all spirits brands try to do but it’s harder than you think.
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Submissions are now being invited for the 2023 edition of Harpers Design Awards, which is the leading competition of its kind in the UK market.
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The latest back and forth between the UK government and Scotland’s devolved powers has derailed plans for Scotland to include glass as part of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), with glass now to be fully excluded both north and south of the border.
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