Farr Vintners buys Magnum Fine Wines

By Gemma McKenna

Published: 20 August, 2014

Farr Vintners has bought Magnum Fine Wines for an undisclosed sum as owner Alan Rayne has retired from the wine trade.

Stephen Browett Farr Vintners buys Magnum Fine WinesChairman Stephen Browett says he is 'very honoured' that Magnum Fine Wines has chosen Farr Vintners to look after its customers.

Stephen Browett, chairman of Farr Vintners, said: "I have known Alan for nearly 30 years and feel very honoured that he has chosen to entrust Farr Vintners to look after his customers and their wine portfolios in the future.

"Alan is rightly proud of the business that he has built up and a key part of his decision to pass the company on to Farr Vintners was that he knows that his customers will continue to receive exemplary and professional service."

In a statement on his website, Magnum owner Rayne had a message for customers: "We have sold the company to one of the largest and most reliable fine wine companies in the UK, Farr Vintners. I would like to thank you very much for your help and support over the years."

Both businesses are London based, and deal predominantly in fine wines, both also use Octavian Vaults to hold stock and customer reserves.

In the last five years the Battersea-based Farr Vintners has sold almost £600 million worth of fine win. It also stores over one million bottles on behalf of its international customer base.

Farr Vintners has had a Hong Kong for the past 20 years, and Browett was keen to reassure Magnum customers that his sales teams "will be very pleased to assist Magnum's customers and offer genuinely informed and expert advice on all aspects of wine buying, selling and storage".

Magnum customers in the UK can contact Farr Vintners director Tom Hudson and in Asia Jo Purcell, managing director of Farr Vintners Asia.

Rayne will remain with the company until the end of September.

Farr Vintners is in the process of inputting Magnum customer data into its own systems in order to allow customers access to their portfolios online.

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