Breaking News: Conviviality announces new group buying structure

By Angela Mount

Published: 24 August, 2016

Conviviality PLC have today advised suppliers of fundamental changes to the group's wine buying structure.

Following the appointment of Andrew Shaw as Group Wine Buying Director, a complete restructure of the wine buying team has now been completed.

The business will operate two separate wine buying teams, keeping Retail and Trading/Direct separate.

Simon Jerrome, who has headed up the wine buying team for Matthew Clark, will become head of wine buying for the trading and direct side of the business, which incorporates the entire supply base from Bibendum, Matthew Clark and PLB/ Walker and Wodehouse. He will also be directly responsible for buying Bordeaux.

Reporting to him, will be four buyers: Paul Meihuizen, responsible for the Americas and South Africa; Matt Smith, who will be buying Italy, New Zealand and Australia; Alastair Pyatt, who takes on the buying for all of France, with the exception of Bordeaux and Champagne; and Jamie Avenell, responsible for Champagne, Iberia, Central and Eastern Europe, England and China. Two product development managers, Stuart Grundy, based in Spain, and Kim Mylne, in Australia, will support the buying team.

On the retail side of the business, Bargain Booze and Wine Rack, Sarah Richardson and Marie Ferlanda will continue to be responsible for all purchasing decisions, with Susan McCraith MW remaining on board as buying consultant, helping to source and drive category improvements to build the wine credentials.

Two further appointments have been announced, both reporting to Andrew Shaw; Laurie Davis from Matthew Clark will assume the role of head of wine strategy, whilst Stephen Walder of Bibendum PLB will take up the position of head of quality control and technical.

Check out our exlcusive interview with Andrew Shaw in next month's issue out next week.

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