Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Symington launches virtual School of Port  

Published: 22 July, 2020

Port producer Symington Family Estates has launched a new digital platform named The School of Port.

London Cocktail Week readies for 2020

Published: 22 July, 2020

London Cocktail Week, the world’s biggest city-wide cocktail festival, will go ahead this year, its organisers have announced.

Lanchester goes digital with in-venue ordering platform

Published: 09 July, 2020

Lanchester Wines has unveiled its newest technological innovation – an online order and pay tool to help on-trade venues re-open while observing social distancing rules.

Shakedown looms for English and Welsh spirits

Published: 06 July, 2020

A restructure could be on the cards for the English and Welsh spirits sector, as pressure from an impending recession begins to squeeze brands at either end of the price spectrum. Jo Gilbert reports

UK-wide bars and restaurants gear up to unveil new look on-trade this weekend

Published: 03 July, 2020

Bars, restaurants and pubs are expected to re-open in droves this weekend, with a complete overhaul of safety procedures set to establish a new normal for the British on-trade.

Targeted reopening key to successfully rebuilding custom

Published: 02 July, 2020

On-trade operators are advised to target the customers most keen to remerge post-lockdown to ensure a more successful reopening.

Major brands “reallocating” funds away from on-trade into e-commerce and DTC

Published: 02 July, 2020

The Covid-19 pandemic is facilitating a long-term shift among many of the world’s leading drinks brands’ strategies, it has been suggested, as owners begin to adopt a more “nuanced” approach to channel distribution.

Self-imposed regulations risk UK’s standing as fine wine trading hub

Published: 01 July, 2020

The UK's status as a global trading hub for fine wine will face major risks from the additional burdens of government-imposed regulations when the UK ends its Brexit transition period at the close of the year.

Beronia joins Bid for Recovery auction

Published: 01 July, 2020

Top Rioja winery Beronia is putting up some plum prizes in conjunction with 50 Best Restaurants to help raise funds for the recovery of on-trade.

New app and bar as Soho’s Trade embraces post-pandemic landscape

Published: 22 June, 2020

Hospitality members’ club Trade is to shift to a “virtual version” of the club’s benefits post-lockdown, looking to evolve its industry support ethos with the launch of a resource-based app.

NZW calls on UK to come with “fresh attitude” as trade negotiations begin

Published: 17 June, 2020

New Zealand’s wine sector has “warmly welcomed” the announcement that it is to begin trade negotiations with the UK, calling on Britain to come with a “fresh attitude”.

In spitting distance of Covid-19

Published: 15 June, 2020

At the onset of the ongoing global pandemic, traditional on-trade channels saw sales fall to zero overnight. But what about the wider drinks trade and the interactions within it? Jo Gilbert asks if it's time to reassess tried – and maybe tired – formulas?

‘Compressed’ Bordeaux 2019 EP campaign sees prices 30% lower

Published: 11 June, 2020

As Bordeaux’s top estates continue to trickle their 2019 releases onto the market, prices are typically 15-30% down on 2018, with around two thirds of prices now declared.

10 June furlough deadline presents hospitality with difficult call

Published: 09 June, 2020

The 10 June cut-off for entering staff on furlough is presenting some hospitality businesses with a tough decision against an uncertain timetable for a staged reopening of the industry.

Guy Woodward: Hawking luxury during a pandemic

Published: 05 June, 2020

Around the world, many governments have excelled in recent months, quickly imposing rigorous, e ective measures, and pu ing to one side economic and ideological concerns for the greater good. Others, by contrast, have focused on massaging the facts to suit their narrative and clinging to a preconceived agenda in the face of a gathering storm.

Challenges for winemakers as Italy exits lockdown

Published: 03 June, 2020

The biggest challenge for the Italian wine trade is recovery in the on-trade, according to Pierpaolo Penco, Italy country manager at Wine Intelligence, speaking ahead of publication of the Italy Wine Landscapes 2020 report, due out this week.

Chile rising high

Published: 03 June, 2020

Consumers have come to expect value from Chilean wine, says James Lawrence, so how can they be encouraged to trade up?

Sturges steps down from Jeroboams

Published: 02 June, 2020

London wine merchant Jeroboams is to have a new chief executive, with encumbent Hugh Sturges leaving the role at the end of June.

Drinks Trust wellness services now live

Published: 01 June, 2020

The new range of mental health support services for members of the trade from the Drinks Trust have now been launched.

Indie merchants look to nurture new trade ahead of economic slump

Published: 29 May, 2020

With lockdown easing and non-essential shops beginning to reopen from 15 June, the independent merchant sector is increasingly planning ways of achieving some semblance of ‘normal’ store opening, while balancing health considerations with marked changes in trading conditions.