“The heart of the issue is simple – the manufacturing and recycling of glass bottles is by far the largest contributor to wine’s carbon footprint, and if we don’t use alternative formats wherever possible, we won’t make the deep and meaningful cuts required across all sectors.”
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In last month’s edition of Harpers, we unveiled our annual Top 50 Drinks Wholesalers. In 10th place on that list was Lea & Sandeman, the independent wine merchant with a penchant for grower-led, artisanal wines from around the world.
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Harpers’ future leaders symposium at last month’s London Wine Fair had a core question embedded in its lively panel discussion – what does staff progression look like post-Covid, and how can those insights be used to address the industry’s increasingly serious recruitment problems?
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Forget the next day or one-hour delivery slot. Buoyed by the rise of on-demand culture and at-home eating and drinking trends, a surge in the rise of rapid retail platforms is now promising consumers deliveries to their door via an app in 15 or even 10 minutes.
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With the cost of living ever increasing, UK consumers might be reconsidering the way they purchase spirits, but premium brands are likely in the best position to weather the storm. Now is the time to make the most of that brand equity, and perhaps take some lessons from challenging economic times of the recent past.
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Harpers drew together a panel at LWF to discuss Meeting the Challenges of the Net Zero Journey, which delivered compelling insights into the demanding but critical journey ahead.
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Kam MD Katie Moses partnered with Harpers editor Andrew Catchpole at LWF to present Shaping Up the On-trade in a Post-Pandemic World. The analysis, based on extensive research into evolving consumer consumption and purchasing trends, makes compelling reading for any operators looking to sharpen their offer.
With the pandemic having wrought havoc on the hospitality landscape, it has changed, perhaps irrevocably, as existing trends accelerated and new trends have come to the fore. And, despite serious issues, including staffing, inflation and wobbling consumer confidence, there are new opportunities arising.
As we hover on the edge of a possible recession, with inflation reaching a 40-year year high in June, it’s no surprise that UK consumers are tightening their belts.
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The corporate world is very fond of quoting an old adage: “Commerce hates noise.” Yet vodka brands cannot hide from the upheaval caused by Ukraine, rising inflation and post-pandemic behavioural shifts. With the political, economic, and social environment in a state of realignment, spirit brands have been presented with a unique set of opportunities, and threats, in 2022.
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Tampa, Florida, isn’t exactly known for its rollicking wine scene. While a unique culinary mix takes inspiration from early European invaders and African immigrants in the 16th century, wines are often simple to go with local saltwater fare or take a back seat to tequila-based drinks.
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Despite inflation galloping away and the cost-of-living crisis biting – not to mention shipping issues and related costs – recent pandemic-boosted trends suggest that consumers have become more adventurous and premium in their wine-buying habits.
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As with any industry, wine is no stranger to buzzwords – particularly when producers and importers are struggling to boost sales in an increasingly competitive marketplace. It’s nigh on impossible to escape the word “minerality” and pretty hard to avoid the phrase “new wave” to describe a movement/group of producers making qualitative changes in regions renowned for being quite predictable.
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The past five years have been busy for the soft drinks sector in the UK. Producers have had to navigate the introduction of the sugar tax, changes in drinking habits triggered by the pandemic, and now hefty price hikes across multiple food and drink categories. The adult soft drinks sector sits at the premium end of the total soft drinks category, and this is where you can find beverages made from unique ingredients and botanicals, with bold logos and artistic artwork. It’s a fun and luxurious part of the sector, but can it survive the current cost-of-living crisis?
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Who hasn’t had a love affair with Italian wines? It’s a rite of passage for any true wine lover. Before heading off to the extremes of Chile or the slopes of the Mosel or Douro, wine buffs tend to fall into the arms of Piedmont, Tuscany and Etna. With so much varietal and stylistic diversity, it’s easy to be carried away by the sheer breadth – and to be very promiscuous with – Italy’s array of choice.
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Digitalisation has been a long time coming within the wine industry. Often derided for its last-to-the-party pace of adoption, things finally seemed to be catching up at the beginning of the new decade, with acceleration a key part of the trade’s Covid journey.
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Football is a global sport with a greater following than any political movement or religion (probably). According to Statista, more than a billion people tuned in to watch the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final. The official beer partner of that tournament, held in Russia, was Budweiser, and its bold American iconography could be seen the world over.
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More and more people are taking the environment into consideration when it comes to choosing alcoholic drinks products. A Wines Direct survey reveals their main areas of worry.
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Vineyard owners shared their success stories of using the regenerative model to improve vineyard health at a recent symposium on the subject, organised by Familia Torres.
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James Lawrence identifies the branding trends stealing a march for wines and spirits.
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When chancellor Rishi Sunak announced his proposed changes to alcohol duty in the October Budget, he described them as the “most radical simplification of alcohol duties for over 140 years”. Under the present system, there are three duty rates on wine – one for still wine, a slightly higher one for sparkling wine and an even higher one for fortified wine.
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