News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Armit Wines boosts Tuscan portfolio with Fattoria Le Pupille

Published: 13 February, 2015

Armit Wines, UK distributor for a host of Italy's icon wines, has added southern Tuscany's Fattoria Le Pupille to its portfolio.

Damien Wilson named faculty chair for Sonoma State University's wine business programme

Published: 13 February, 2015

Dr Damien Wilson has been named as the first head for the newly-created role of the Hamel family faculty chair for the Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University and is expected to start in August 2015.

Joe Wadsack shares his musical likes as Skin Contact's Comic Relief gig is selling fast

Published: 13 February, 2015

We've met the band, the backing singers and plugged the concert enough to surely convince you to buy a ticket for wine band Skin Côntact's one-off concert on March 9 at London's Vinopolis to raise money for Comic Relief.

Calling on wine and spirits producers around the world to back Drop the Duty campaign

Published: 13 February, 2015

Today Harpers is calling on wine and spirits producers around the world concerned about the high alcohol duty levels in the UK to get involved in the Drop the Duty campaign and have their voice heard by the Chancellor, George Osborne.

Pernod Ricard celebrates strong UK half-year performance

Published: 12 February, 2015

Pernod Ricard's UK chief says the market is now in "full recovery" as its brands, in particular those at the top end of the scale, outperform the market.

Irish whiskey Tullamore DEW launches busking campaign

Published: 12 February, 2015

William Grant owned Irish whiskey Tullamore DEW is looking to build awareness of the brand through a campaign involving street buskers.

Wine shipments face delays as California port dispute escalates

Published: 12 February, 2015

Wine shipments in and out of California face further delays as the labour dispute between port workers and their employers steps up a gear with vessel operations suspended over the upcoming long weekend.

M&S signs deal to bottle New World wines at Kingsland

Published: 12 February, 2015

Marks & Spencer will use a UK firm for the first time for its New World bulk wine bottling, after striking a deal with Manchester's Kingsland.

H1 results for Pernod Ricard show stability as Alexandre Ricard steps up as CEO

Published: 12 February, 2015

Sales growth for the first half of the financial year for Pernod Ricard was minimal, but stable, ahead of the announcement of leadership changes at the drinks giant.

London's premium on-trade wine market growing 18% per year

Published: 12 February, 2015

The market for top wines is growing at a rate of 18.4% by value in London restaurants, against a backdrop of declining wine sales in the on-trade overall, down 9.3% by value for the year to July 2014.

Cold weather fails to dampen eating out sales in January

Published: 12 February, 2015

Restaurants and managed pubs saw like-for-like sales grow 1.4% in January, despite the snow and cold weather.

Flint Wines takes on Tim Mondavi's Napa estate Continuum

Published: 11 February, 2015

Flint Wines has expanded its US wine selection by becoming the exclusive UK agent for Tim Mondavi's Napa estate, Continuum.

England and New Zealand's sparkling wines clash ahead of Cricket World Cup

Published: 11 February, 2015

The doyens of the English and New Zealand sparkling wine industry are ratcheting up the competition ahead of the Cricket World Cup with a blind taste off.

Bibendum PLB says data insights vital to trading with multiples

Published: 11 February, 2015

Bibendum PLB says its "bird's eye view' of the UK market marks it out as a unique player in offering consumer behaviour data to customers in this increasingly tough multiple retailer environment.

Senior industry figures toast positive reception from Treasury over proposed 2% duty cut

Published: 11 February, 2015

Senior representatives from the drinks industry met with Treasury officials yesterday to present evidence in support of the proposed 2% duty cut on alcohol, describing the discussions as "constructive".

BrewDog continues expansion with opening of first Spanish bar

Published: 11 February, 2015

Scotland's largest independent brewery BrewDog is continuing with its expansion plans with the opening of its 26th bar and its first in Spain with its new Barcelona outpost.

California's 2014 grape crush shows 'healthy decline' but won't stop bulk prices sliding

Published: 11 February, 2015

California's grape crush for 2014 hit 3.91 million tonnes, showing a "healthy decline" of 340,000 tonnes on the previous year, however the "ample inventories" of 2012 and 2013 means finding buyers for wine will be a challenge.

MPs back Drop the Duty campaign by taking trade's duty call to the Chancellor

Published: 11 February, 2015

MPs across the country are starting to respond to independent wine merchants and members of the wider wine and spirits industry who have contacted them through the Drop the Duty campaign calling on them to lobby the Chancellor for a 2% duty cut in the March Budget.

Virgin Wines sees festive sales boost of £10m

Published: 10 February, 2015

Online wine retailer Virgin Wines saw like-for-like sales jump 20% over the festive period, accounting for an extra £10 million - driven by a stellar performance from fizz.

Stevens Garnier rebrands to Sogrape and ups on-trade focus

Published: 10 February, 2015

Wine supplier Stevens Garnier is ditching its old name in favour of Sogrape, that of its Portuguese parent company, and has vowed to hone in on the UK's on-trade in 2015.