Business & Finance - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Bordeaux Index records 37% revenue growth in H1 2022

Published: 08 August, 2022

The global fine wine and spirits merchant, Bordeaux Index, generated £80m in revenue in the first half of 2022 – an increase of 37%.

Record 64% of the UK’s top 100 restaurant companies are now making a loss

Published: 08 August, 2022

The national accountancy group, UHY Hacker Young, has revealed that a record 64% of the UK’s top 100 restaurant companies are now making a loss.

Jubilee helps on-trade achieve 5% sales growth

Published: 20 July, 2022

June’s like-for-like sales at Britain’s top managed restaurant, pub and bar groups were 5% ahead of the pre-Covid-19 levels of June 2019, the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker reveals.

Hospitality sector recovery stymied by labour shortages, rising costs, and a drop in consumer confidence

Published: 13 July, 2022

A new report, Future Shock – Leaving Covid Behind, shows sales are back to pre-pandemic levels, but 15% of roles remain vacant, costs are spiralling, and the cost of living challenges is impacting consumer spending.

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.

African spirits group Spearhead announces $3million investment

Published: 11 July, 2022

Spearhead, the Black-owned African spirits group, has raised $3 million.

Retail market starting to return to pre-Covid norms

Published: 04 July, 2022

According to Kantar, sales are falling at all the major multiples, but it’s not all doom and gloom. During the 12 weeks to 12 June, supermarket sales, including alcohol, groceries and softs, fell 1.9% year on year. Supermarket alcohol sales are also declining, down 12% year on year in the same period.

7,000 pubs forced to close in last 10 years

Published: 04 July, 2022

According to real estate consultancy Altus Group, the number of pubs in England and Wales is now at its lowest point on record, down by more than 7,000 in the last decade.

‘It’s not the job of businesses to solve global problems’ says Mangrove MD

Published: 30 June, 2022

A new taxpayer-funded ad campaign will ask businesses to cut prices to help with the cost-of-living crisis from July.

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.

Cost-of-living crisis and staff shortages threaten £36bn hospitality and leisure growth

Published: 17 June, 2022

A new report warns today that the cost-of-living crisis could severely hamper the hospitality and leisure sector’s post-pandemic recovery amid a widespread lack of staff.

Managed groups' like-for-like sales flat in May as cost crisis deepens

Published: 17 June, 2022

Like-for-like sales at Britain’s leading managed restaurant, pub and bar groups in May were just 0.1% ahead of the pre-Covid-19 levels of 2019, the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker reveals.

WSTA celebrates LWF return, though "Recovery is not a given"

Published: 07 June, 2022

The WSTA struck a note somewhere between optimism and realism at the opening briefing of this year’s London Wine Fair, calling for “resilience and resistance” in order to manifest a more fully formed recovery of the wine and spirit trade post-Covid.

The weighty burden of alcohol’s rising costs

Published: 30 May, 2022

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.

Business support lags behind in cost-of-living crisis

Published: 27 May, 2022

A £15bn package aimed at helping households deal with inflation and the rising cost of energy bills comes just one day after the Sue Gray report was published – a move that has prompted critics to question the rationale and timing of the sudden windfall for British consumers. Also, they ask, where is the support for business?

Miles Beale speaks out against the government’s £300m tax increase on wine

Published: 23 May, 2022

As the latest Wine Drinkers UK communique suggests, taxing alcohol is set to cost the wine industry an estimated £300 million and push up prices for UK consumers, without bringing any significant boost to Treasury funds.

UK Hospitality sets out its vision to support government’s Levelling Up agenda

Published: 23 May, 2022

A new report from UKHospitality, Level up hospitality – level up society, highlights how the sector is uniquely positioned to deliver growth and opportunity across the country and play its part in delivering the government’s and society’s priorities, by generating jobs and economic growth.

Societe Jacques Bollinger invests further in Bordeaux Index

Published: 19 May, 2022

Societe Jacques Bollinger (SJB), the Family Group behind a portfolio of wines and spirits, including Bollinger Champagne, has increased its minority stake in Bordeaux Index.

Stephen Dell, Kantar: Justifying your prices

Published: 18 May, 2022

Stephen Dell, senior client lead at market analyst Kantar, argues that brand strength – not price cutting – is the best weapon against inflation.

Managed groups' like-for-like sales up 2% in April, but cost pressures stunt growth

Published: 17 May, 2022

Britain’s leading managed restaurant, pub and bar groups recorded like-for-like sales growth of 2% in April 2022, the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker reveals.