Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Winner unveiled for AYALA SquareMeal Female Chef of the Year award.

Published: 04 November, 2021

Sally Abé has been selected as the winner of this year’s AYALA SquareMeal Female Chef of the Year award.

Long read: Organic wine, climate crisis and what it means for brand identity

Published: 04 November, 2021

With COP26 pressing the urgency for action on climate crisis, Denomination’s CEO Rowena Curlewis stresses the need for producers to build change into their business strategies and examines what this means for packaging and identity.

South of France to open new somm school

Published: 03 November, 2021

The Roussillon region is to host what is described as a “unique training centre” for sommeliers, planned to open in September 2022.

The Drinks Trust partners with Equal Measures to deliver greater equality

Published: 01 November, 2021

The Drinks Trust is partnering with Equal Measures, an initiative to deliver greater opportunities for under-represented groups in the drinks industry.

SLTA issues call for ‘level playing field’ in pubs and supermarkets duty

Published: 27 October, 2021

The Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) is calling on the Government to overhaul the alcohol excise duty system and introduce new measures that would create a differential between alcohol sold in pubs and supermarkets.

Soapbox: Why 2021’s skills shortage could be the best thing to happen to the hospitality industry

Published: 26 October, 2021

For many workers in hospitality, it’s not only low pay, but aggression and isolation that are the norm. It’s time to change things, says Simon King, former operations director for Gordon Ramsay Group and co-owner of new Surrey gastropub The Victoria Oxshott.

UKHospitality invites industry to showcase sustainability at COP 26

Published: 19 October, 2021

Trade association UKHospitality (UKH) is inviting operators and industry representatives to attend an industry event at COP26 next month.

WineGB Wessex appoints Jacob Leadley as new chair

Published: 13 October, 2021

WineGB Wessex has appointed Black Chalk winemaker and CEO Jacob Leadley as its new chair from 9 November.

New vocational hardship initiative launched by The Drinks Trust

Published: 05 October, 2021

The Drinks Trust has unveiled the launch of a new vocational hardship initiative called Develop, a scheme designed to lift people out of long-term hardship and help tackle the staff and skill shortage in the drinks hospitality sector.

Cross-industry call for permanent lower VAT rate

Published: 04 October, 2021

Following the recent call from The Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) for the Treasury to extend the hospitality VAT reduction, leading trade bodies from the hospitality and tourism sector have aligned to add their voice to the plea.

CapeWine organisers unveil new 2022 date

Published: 21 September, 2021

The next edition of CapeWine will take place from 5 to 7 October 2022, following its 12 month postponement.

Long Read: Daring to dream of a Golden Era of hospitality

Published: 16 September, 2021

Hugh Jones fell into the drinks industry 14 years ago while trying to become a rock star and never left, learning his trade at Majestic Wine, Pernod Ricard, and Mentzendorff. After a locked-down winter teaching strangers how to make cocktails over Zoom, he is now sales manager at Colwith Farm Distillery.

WSTA Summit: Procurement and leadership at the head of global transformational change

Published: 16 September, 2021

Having contingency plans and not relying on the rest of the world in order to manage risk was one of the key messages from this morning’s WSTA Industry Summit briefing, Recalibrating the ‘Norm’, with Lorraine Copes, founder of Be Inclusive Hospitality and George Yip, Emeritus prof. marketing & strategy, Imperial College Business School.

Hospitality sector remains in ‘fragile state’

Published: 15 September, 2021

Following the UK government's unveiling of its strategy for managing Covid-19 during the autumn and winter months, UK Hospitality (UKH) chief executive Kate Nicholls has issued a stark warning about the importance of allowing businesses to remain open.

Kingsland Drinks hires new head of marketing and insights

Published: 08 September, 2021

Industry stalwart Charles Overin has joined the Kingsland Drinks team, recruited to oversee the company's marketing strategy at the head office in Salford.

WSTA Industry Summit speakers revealed

Published: 08 September, 2021

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has unveiled an impressive line-up of speakers for its annual Industry Summit next week, due to take place virtually.

Continued plantings spell new growth for English vino at Wine GB

Published: 06 September, 2021

Continued plantings across England and Wales are expected to insulate the growing England and Welsh wine industry against climate issues and smaller-than-usual crop sizes.

HGV shortage could lead to a watered-down Christmas, Accolade warns

Published: 06 September, 2021

Accolade Wines has warned that truck driver shortages could have a major impact on Christmas sales, with on-going recruitment issues likely to limit stocks and drive up costs.

Drinks Trust backs PR internship for pandemic-affected workers

Published: 17 August, 2021

The Drinks Community – the professional members platform from The Drinks Trust – has partnered with UK drinks public relations agency Domino Communications to offer an internship for those working in the hospitality and drinks industry, whose livelihoods have been negatively affected by the pandemic.