Business & Finance - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Ocado records quarterly sales rise of 15.3% and 27,000 more orders per week

Published: 15 September, 2015

Online grocery operation Ocado has reported a 15.3% rise in its own retail sales in the 12 weeks to August 9, to £252 million.

The Smith Report: Potential impacts of China's economic slow down

Published: 11 September, 2015

As the Chinese economy slows down people are bracing for a global slump, but what are the potential impacts if any to the global wine and spirits trade?

Morrisons follows c-store disposal by revealing falling profits and store closures

Published: 10 September, 2015

Morrisons has followed yesterday's deal to sell-off of its convenience store business by reporting a 35% fall in profits and the announcement of a further 11 store closures.

Conviviality Retail confirms £200m deal to buy Matthew Clark

Published: 08 September, 2015

Conviviality Retail has confirmed a deal to buy Matthew Clark from Accolade Wines and Punch Taverns for £200 million.

Average profits up in Punch Taverns pubs after non-core disposals

Published: 02 September, 2015

Punch Taverns says it has seen the benefit of a disposal programme of non-core pubs with average profits per outlet up 4% across its estate.

Champagne provides some fizz for Pernod Ricard as annual sales nudge ahead by 2%

Published: 27 August, 2015

Champagne and Irish whiskey were among the main drivers of global growth for Pernod Ricard in 2014/15, though the spirits giant turned in only a modest overall sales increase of 2%. The company described the performance as "solid".

Brown-Forman sales take 2% hit in Q1 on back of currency woes

Published: 27 August, 2015

Jack Daniel's producer Brown-Forman reported a 2% decline in net sales to US$900 million (£581.2 million) in the first quarter, to July 31, after being hit by currency exchange fluctuations.

Stock Spirits faces profit slump after torrid spell in Poland

Published: 21 August, 2015

Market disruption in Poland in the first quarter brought about a slump in revenue and profits for Stock Spirits in the half-year to June 30.

Export markets 'tough' but South Africa's Distell posts 10% rise in annual revenue

Published: 20 August, 2015

The South African wine producer and owner of Scotland's Burn Stewart Distillers has posted a 10.4% increase in revenue in the year to June 30.

Reduced focus on 'unsustainable volume' in UK hits Treasury Wine Estates' European figures

Published: 19 August, 2015

Australian wine giant Treasury Wine Estates saw its earnings in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region cut in half in the year to June 30, as the company sought to move away from low margin business in British supermarkets.

Asda 'on right strategy' says boss Clarke despite 4.7% fall in sales

Published: 19 August, 2015

Asda chief executive Andy Clarke has branded a 4.7% fall in like-for-like sales as "disappointing" but indicated he expected it to be a blip.

Morrisons reportedly close to sale of M Local c-stores

Published: 17 August, 2015

Morrisons is reported to be closing in on a sale of its M convenience stores to a mystery team of industry executives funded by Greybull Capital.

Gosling's rum owner Castle Brands sees sales surge by 37.8% in Q1

Published: 11 August, 2015

The owner of Gosling's rum and Jefferson's bourbon has reported a 37.8% increase in net sales in the first quarter of its financial year, to June 30.

Access Uncorked partners with Capital On Tap to unlock cashflow for wineries

Published: 07 August, 2015

Access Uncorked has announced an exclusive global partnership with small-business finance specialists Capital On Tap to provide a range of innovative financial services to wineries.

The Smith Report: To deal or not to deal

Published: 07 August, 2015

There seems to be no end of M&A activity in the UK drinks market. But is what is driving the recent activity?

Gruppo Campari announces strong half-year sales and margins

Published: 06 August, 2015

Gruppo Campari has posted strong sales and higher margins for the first six months of 2015.

English winery Giffords Hall aims to crowdfund major expansion drive

Published: 04 August, 2015

East-Anglian vineyard, Giffords Hall, has turned to crowdfunding website crowd2fund.com to raise capital. It is seeking £58,000 in return for a 5% equity share.

Moody's warns grocery sector of threat from rising minimum wage

Published: 03 August, 2015

UK retailers will struggle with the government's recently announced hike in the living wage, according to credit rating agency Moody's.

Isle of Arran posts record growth despite slump of Scottish whisky sector

Published: 28 July, 2015

Independent whisky producer Isle of Arran Distillers has revealed record results for 2014.

Strong Fever-Tree results consolidate market position

Published: 27 July, 2015

Fever-Tree, the UK-based manufacturer of premium mixers, has revealed strong growth for the first half of 2015. Its results for the six months to 30 June showed revenue of £24.1m - up 62% on the same period for the previous year.