News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

James Davy: ‘Looking Back, Forging Ahead’

Published: 23 August, 2024

We continue our summer Q&A series with James Davy, chairman of Davy’s.

Treasury loses nearly £300m in spirits tax revenue

Published: 22 August, 2024

New figures from HM Revenue and Customs reveal the Treasury has lost close to £300m in tax revenue from Scotch whisky and other spirits following Jeremy Hunt’s significant tax increase last August.

Decline in alcohol consumption fuels demand for soft drinks

Published: 22 August, 2024

Alcohol consumption is declining globally, with the UK seeing a notable reduction of 23 percentage points, as more consumers opt for soft drinks, according to data from CGA by NIQ’s OPUS report.

Hallgarten & Novum Wines expands portfolio with global additions

Published: 22 August, 2024

Wine importer Hallgarten & Novum Wines has expanded its portfolio, adding several prominent producers from around the world. The new additions include Llopart, a sparkling wine producer from Penedès, Viña VIK, a premium winery from Chile and Bosco Viticultori, a Prosecco producer from Veneto. This move aims to attract new customers in the second half of the year.

Amathus to open first Wine Warehouse in South West London

Published: 21 August, 2024

Amathus, the drinks importer, distributor and retailer, is expanding its retail presence from nine to 14 locations, with the introduction of its first Wine Warehouse in East Sheen, South West London.

Pete Kelly: ‘Looking Back, Forging Ahead’

Published: 21 August, 2024

We continue our summer Q&A series with Pete Kelly, head of national accounts, Boutinot.

Luvians wins 31 Days of German Riesling campaign

Published: 21 August, 2024

For the thirteenth year running, July saw the UK trade dedicating the month to German Riesling, with 135 venues nationwide participating in a series of events, including German Riesling masterclasses, in-store promotions, wine dinners and social media initiatives.

Curious Vines launches non-wine skills workshop for female and non-binary talent

Published: 20 August, 2024

Curious Vines founder Queena Wong is helming a new Negotiation Skills Workshop aimed at ‘uplifting careers in wine’ for women and non-binary people.

Squerryes Vineyard expands with new winery and winemaker

Published: 20 August, 2024

Squerryes, a family-run vineyard in Westerham, has revealed plans for expansion, including the appointment of Tom Jones as its new winemaker, who will start next month.

Sporting events boost summer spending in UK hospitality

Published: 20 August, 2024

Summer 2024 has been a significant period for Britain’s pubs, bars and restaurants, with major sporting events like Men’s Euro 2024, Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics contributing to an 11% rise in consumer spending compared to last summer.

Brown Family Wine Group appoints Hallgarten & Novum as UK distributor

Published: 19 August, 2024

Australia’s Brown Family Wine Group has chosen Hallgarten & Novum Wines as the exclusive UK distributor for its Brown Brothers range. The team at Hallgarten will be responsible for introducing the wines, which have alcohol content ranging from 0-15%, to the UK’s hospitality and retail sectors.

Klearhos Kanellakis: ‘Looking Back, Forging Ahead’

Published: 19 August, 2024

We continue our summer Q&A series with Klearhos Kanellakis, head sommelier at Ekstedt at The Yard.

Alcohol consumption in Ireland falls by nearly a third

Published: 19 August, 2024

Alcohol consumption in Ireland has decreased by almost one-third over the past two decades, according to a new study.

Nick Gillett: Why vodka needs to break out of its boring ‘steady Eddie’ box

Published: 19 August, 2024

What do you think of when you hear the word ‘vodka’. Not much, right? Where the word ‘whisky’ evokes images of sipping from a glass next to a roaring fire and ‘rum’ transports you to tropical climates grasping a glass filled with amber liquid on ice – vodka just doesn’t deliver the same dreamy (if clichéd) scenarios. But vodka is estimated to have a global value of $40.25 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 5.6% each year until then (IWSR Vodka Innovation Trends report). So, the category has to be doing something right, surely?

Hospitality sector sees first outlet growth in two years

Published: 19 August, 2024

Britain’s hospitality sector has recorded its first quarterly growth in outlets in two years, according to the latest Hospitality Market Monitor from CGA by NIQ and AlixPartners.

Edinburgh visitor levy scheme draft sparks mixed reactions

Published: 16 August, 2024

A draft scheme ahead of the Policy and Sustainability Committee meeting on 22 August proposes a visitor levy in Edinburgh, allowing accommodation providers to retain 2.5% of the proceeds to cover their costs. The visitor levy, a fee imposed on overnight stays, is intended to raise funds for local services and tourism-related projects. UKHospitality Scotland supports this measure, emphasising that it is vital to prevent the levy from hindering investment, economic growth and job creation in the sector.

Doug Wregg: ‘Looking Back, Forging Ahead’

Published: 16 August, 2024

We continue our summer Q&A series with Doug Wregg, sales and marketing director at Les Caves de Pyrene.

UK pub market forecast to grow by 1.7% in 2024, reaching £23.6bn

Published: 16 August, 2024

The UK pub and bar market is expected to grow by 1.7% in 2024, reaching a total value of £23.6 billion, according to Lumina Intelligence’s latest report.