By the Glass UK forecasts double-digit growth

By Carol Emmas, Emily Kearns

Published: 18 October, 2013

By the Glass UK, the wine-preservation system manufacturer is expecting double-digit growth for 2013/14 on the back of it exceeding its previous 12 months' turnover in the first six months of this year.

The Manchester-based company was set up in 2009 to manufacture the Standard and Modular preservation systems, and has just installed the first ever system in a UK supermarket, in Booths.

By the Glass chief executive officer, Gareth Lewis, told Harpers sales had almost doubled in 2011/12 as the market started to realise what impact a wine-dispensing and preservation system could have on their bottom line. He said 2012/13 was a more subdued year, on the back of the tough economy, with less than double digit-growth. "But so far 2013/14 has been unrivalled in terms of enquiries, growth and turnover, with orders well into next year," he added.

He said the range of establishments that are interested in the systems is growing and he has been talking to other large well-known multiples and retailers. "Prestigious public venues such as the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Academy of Arts are now also By the Glass users, and new openings such as London's The Don and One Canada Place are installing systems as part of their new developments," he said.

The company now has over 150 installations in the UK with around 22% of these have same-site multiple units.

By the Glass also launched its new Modular product at the London International Wine Fair in May, which can hold two bottles and can be built upon.

"The larger units are not cheap to buy, so the two-bottle systems give clients a chance to see if they work and allow for options to add to the unit."

He added: "The Modular unit is also becoming popular with private clients who have the money to buy them for their own personal use. They might want to open an expensive bottle but not drink it all at once, this system allows them to preserve the wine in perfect condition."

The third product to be launched has been a specialist whisky dispenser, which is a variant of the Standard unit.

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