Analysis & Insights - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

The unusual suspects

Published: 19 August, 2022

In line with a growing taste for more off-piste wines, Andrew Catchpole invited notable champions and producers of emerging regions and wines to explain their appeal.

Tech & Innovation: Detecting fine wine forgeries

Published: 17 August, 2022

According to a 2021 report from Business Insider, fake wine accounts for 20% of wine sold worldwide. If this is true, and many credible sources seem to agree, then the chances are you have drunk from a bottle containing fraudulent wine. The report referred to numerous cases of wine crime in recent history, including the seizure of 4,000 bottles of the counterfeit ‘super-Tuscan’ Bolgheri Sassicaia, which fetches up to £320 a bottle.

Analysis: Low and no hits the mainstream

Published: 15 August, 2022

Having grown exponentially in recent years, it’s no surprise that the low and no category is evolving at rapid speed, with the latest twist in this 21st-century tale being that it is now moderate drinkers, rather than teetotallers, driving the category.

Supermarkets and the benefits of own-label wines

Published: 12 August, 2022

When a ‘wine person’ opens a bottle of wine, it is safe to say much has been considered beforehand. Where is it from? What is the back story? How was it made?

Never Mind the Bollocks

Published: 10 August, 2022

Creating a brand that upends the wine-centric view of the trade has been tried many times, but a new collaboration between experienced buyer Andrew Ingham and Cape winery Journey’s End may just have what it takes to bridge the gap with wine-interest-lite consumers. And, if it does gain traction, there may well be salient lessons to learn for the wider trade at a time when interest in wine – especially among younger consumers – has stalled.

Alternative formats: Is the tide finally turning on glass?

Published: 25 July, 2022

“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.”

Personality and value from winning indie wholesaler Lea & Sandeman

Published: 18 July, 2022

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.

Harpers' 30 under 30 take centre stage at LWF

Published: 15 July, 2022

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?

Hyper-convenience and the opportunities for wine

Published: 13 July, 2022

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.

Cashing in on premium brand equity

Published: 11 July, 2022

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.

Culling carbon - how to face the challeneges of Net Zero

Published: 06 July, 2022

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.

Report: How the on-trade is shaping up post-pandemic

Published: 01 July, 2022

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.

The drinks trend casualties in the cost-of-living crisis

Published: 30 June, 2022

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.

Vodka's wild ride

Published: 29 June, 2022

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.

Florida's hidden wine treasure chest

Published: 27 June, 2022

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.

Wines for the Times independent merchant survey

Published: 22 June, 2022

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.

Spain's new wave of fresher styles

Published: 20 June, 2022

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.

The evolution of adult soft drinks

Published: 17 June, 2022

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?

Great Whites: in-depth analysis of Italian white wines

Published: 15 June, 2022

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.

Tech & Innovation: Going dark, building back

Published: 13 June, 2022

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.