Looking Back, Forging Ahead Q&A: Jamie Wynne-Griffiths, Propeller

By Harpers Editorial

Published: 05 January, 2024

Following another turbulent year for the drinks trade, Jamie Wynne-Griffiths, MD of Propeller, reflects on the highs and lows of 2023, plus the hopes and plans for the business in the year ahead.

How has business been for you across 2023 when compared with 2022 (and pre-pandemic)?

For a business that began in the midst of the pandemic, 2023 was always going to be our best year so far. Deep partnerships with regional wholesalers bedded in, alongside dramatically increased penetration into the indie sector and – cherry on the cake – listings like Cantina Goccia’s paper bottle at Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.

What, for you, were the specific highs of 2023?

We opened a retail site in our home town, Sherborne. It’s called The Drinksmith and has provided not only an immediate sales channel for our producer partners but also given us invaluable insight into consumer behaviour, not least the tools required to get them to think outside the narrow channel of NZ Sauvignon, Argentinean Malbec and Provence rosé. Our wall of canned wine has been a particular hit and has prompted customers from all ages to change their approach to their weekly consumption, eschewing bottles that end up half drunk and go to waste in favour of 250ml of Fleurie, Claret, orange wine… and yes, our only New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

And the lows?

1 August. The largest duty increase in almost 50 years. There was plenty of wishful thinking that this would be kicked down the road like so many other recent government interventions. Clearly, that was naïve!

More specifically, how has the cost-of-living crisis impacted and what have you done to help mitigate the effects for you and your customers?

Combined with the duty impact we’ve inevitably seen the average bottle value go down with our wholesalers, there’s been a decrease amongst the indies too, but not at the same rate. This, however, has provided an opportunity for our producer partners to use our network as a clearance platform for overstocks, previous vintages and cancelled orders from their other export markets, resulting in some veritable bargains.

How much of a concern are the duty hikes, will you have to alter the way you do business moving forward?

As a trade we’re still reeling, whilst I think most mainstream consumers are blissfully unaware because the supermarkets and brands have largely absorbed the impact, supplemented by some deft work bringing abvs down to the magic 11%. The prospect of another increase with the Autumn Statement would have been senseless and absurd, thankfully that didn’t come to pass. But taxes rarely go down and the prospect of abv-linked tiers from February 2025 only increases the importance to us of investing in the production of our own wines at entry level, a project that we’ve now begun via partnerships with IAG’s Wine Flyer and Good Pair Days.

As a business, what goals have you set for 2024 and how do you expect to achieve them?

The wine production arm of the business will easily achieve the same turnover as our pioneer importation division in 2024. Aligned with the launch of our B2B platform in March we’re gearing up for a busy, high-volume year.

More generally, in terms of business, how do you predict the drinks landscape will look this time next year?

The recent World Bulk Wine Exhibition in Amsterdam illustrated how lower abvs will shape the wines we drink in the UK in 2024 and beyond. I don’t see the next government (and presuming it’s a Labour one) significantly changing tack on current tax policy, so whites at 10-11% will be more commonplace whilst blockbuster 14.5%+ reds will diminish. Low & no’s overall momentum will increase and we’ll see further innovation in the wine space. And I’d love to think that alternative packaging will be on course for even wider appreciation and acceptance.

Quick fire questions:

Go-to Christmas tipple?

Stakhovsky Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (Zakarpattia, Ukraine)

And New Year?

Champagne Taisne Riocour Brut Reserve NV

Fire-side drinks or out on the town?

Out in town

Rioja or Mendoza?

Rioja, but high altitude!

Orange wine – yay or nay?

Yay, but no big floaty bits

Dry January or Try January?