Business & Finance - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

New global PR partnership announced

Published: 30 October, 2019

Three food-and-drink PR agencies from across the world have partnered to create a global network to support their clients’ international needs.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Why would anyone invest in a start up?

Published: 21 October, 2019

I recently received an invitation to invest in the BIB Wine Company. They are crowdfunding on the Seedrs platform, one of the UK’s major players in this market. BIB summarise their pitch as:

Government backs down on VI-1 forms

Published: 21 October, 2019

The government has agreed to temporarily suspend the introduction of forms which were feared to create an extra layer of red tape for the wine industry in what is shaping up to be an increasingly disorderly Brexit.

At the 11th hour, how will a no-deal Brexit affect the wine trade?

Published: 16 October, 2019

As the UK fruit and vegetable harvest gets into full swing in the looming shadow of Brexit, headlines such as The Guardian’s ‘Tonnes of crops left to rot as farms struggle to recruit EU workers’ are becoming commonplace.

Pernod Ricard consolidates business in France

Published: 03 October, 2019

French giant Pernod Ricard is consolidating in an effort to cut costs after it emerged that sales in France have fallen by €60 million (£53.4 million) over the past two years.

Scottish MUP policy curbs drinking, study shows

Published: 26 September, 2019

Minimum unit pricing (MUP) in Scotland has reduced alcohol consumption in some households, a study published in the British Medical Journal has found.

Benchmark in global push on back of new funding

Published: 15 August, 2019

London-based Benchmark Drinks has won new finance to fund international expansion.

Profits up at TWE as premiumisation drive pays off

Published: 15 August, 2019

Profits at Treasury Wine Estates leapt 16% over the last year, driven by the group’s focus on premiumisation.

Majestic sale confirmed

Published: 02 August, 2019

The sale of Majestic Wine to US private equity firm Fortress has been confirmed.

Scottish government calls for post-Brexit protections for whisky

Published: 01 August, 2019

Scotch whisky must retain its current protected status if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, Fergus Ewing, the Scottish government’s secretary for the rural economy, has said.

Bacardi and Brown-Forman end longstanding UK sales partnership

Published: 01 August, 2019

Bacardi and Brown-Forman are to end their UK collaboration, the companies have revealed.

Brexit costs rising across trade, new WSTA report reveals

Published: 23 July, 2019

The UK drinks industry is investing heavily to counter the risk of a no-deal Brexit, a new survey of its members by the WSTA has revealed.

International spirits industry unites behind new global body

Published: 10 July, 2019

Many of the world’s leading spirits producers have partnered to create a new global organisation for the industry, it was announced in Geneva yesterday.

US private equity fund set to snap up Majestic

Published: 03 July, 2019

Majestic’s retail business is close to being sold to US private equity house Fortress for £100m, according to Sky News.

UK retains top five status as global market for still and sparkling imports

Published: 22 May, 2019

The UK remains the world’s second biggest importer of still and sparkling wine, analysts have confirmed - despite the era of high volume wine sales being “over for good”.

Scotch Whisky fuels the UK by £5.5bn

Published: 30 April, 2019

Scotch Whisky now contributes £5.5billion to the UK economy, up 10% since 2016, according to the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA).

MPs urged to make no ‘no deal’ official before March 29

Published: 14 March, 2019

Last night’s vote to remove the possibility of a no deal scenario from the Brexit table has resulted in a sigh of relief from the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) as well as other corners of the trade.

Bibendum counteracts the “vanilla” effect of the Conviviality machine

Published: 13 March, 2019

Bibendum PLB is back on top form after veering away from Conviviality’s “one-size fits all approach”, according to one of its top bosses.

Matthew Clark comes out fighting fit after major restructure

Published: 06 March, 2019

National wholesaler Matthew Clark says it is firmly back on track, with a far-reaching restructure of the business completed and having “delivered one of the best Christmas in terms of service and performance”, according to managing director David Phillips (pictured above).

Portman group tackles ‘offensive marketing’ in sixth code of practice

Published: 05 March, 2019

UK alcohol regulator the Portman Group has updated its packaging and promotional guidance for society’s evolving standards, including a new rule around ‘offence’.