The week that was
In case you missed some of the headlines this week on harpers.co.uk, here’s a review of the top online news, analysis, opinions and features.
Top stories: Brexit once again reared its head, this time at the WSTA annual conference, where Miles Beale implored the government to see sense and bring home a good deal for British businesses.
Meanwhile, research on the global wine market confirmed that France still rules the roost on wine portfolios around the world, being the must stock country for some 92% of those selling wine.
Elsewhere, it was a good week for both gin and Prosecco, both of which categories continued their upward trajectory, defying any predictions that sales may be reaching a plateau.
Sake received a fillip, too, with Majestic buying into this growing trend, adding for the first time a selection of Japanese rice wine to its portfolio.
• No deal Brexit “not acceptable” for drinks trade
• France still reigns supreme in wine portfolios
• Majestic Wine launches Sake campaign
• Berry Bros & Rudd sees sales rise
• Prosecco continues to lead sparkling wine category
Analysis and Insights: In a perhaps surprising twist on accepted wisdom on current trends, Kantar data showed a significant slowing in growth of online retail sales, while high street operators – traditional bricks and mortar stores – more than held their own, with alcohol sales via growing at 5%, over 2% online.
Austrian wine, one presumes, was a small but growing part of that, having recently captured the imagination of British buyers. This quality-focused country may only account for 1% of global wine production, but it’s innovative producers are proving highly adept at embracing and championing the country’s diverse viticultural richness, increasingly with an eye on sustainable, biodynamic and natural winemaking.
• Capturing the impulse purchaser
People and Opinion: Having stepped into one of the top on-trade buying jobs for D&D restaurant group, Diana Rollan talks Harpers through the secrets to buying well and keeping the drinks offer fresh and engaging.
Neil Anderson, of Kingsland Drinks, draws on research to argue the case for smaller and more niche brands and their place in the drinks market, suggesting that such labels are more adept at meeting customer mores, pulling them into the category and thus delivering potential sales.
• Q&A: Diana Rollan, beverage group category manager, D&D London
• Neil Anderson: The importance of niche wine brands
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