Tom Ashworth: ‘Looking Back, Forging Ahead’

By Harpers Editorial team

Published: 14 August, 2024

We continue our summer Q&A series with Tom Ashworth, CEO of Yapp Brothers.

How has business been for you in the first half of 2024 and how do things compare to where you were last year?

Sales across the first six months of 2023 and 2024 were pretty similar, but individual months differed significantly depending on Easter holidays, weather and promotions.

Read more: Michael Saunders – ‘Looking Back, Forging Ahead’

How has the cost-of-living crisis played out across the year and what – if anything – have you been able to do to mitigate that?

Consumers have been more careful with purchases, you really have to present a compelling reason as to why a customer should buy a bottle or case. This has played out in both D2C and B2B markets. Value is critical, whatever the price point. We introduced three ‘regional’ own label wines – white Burgundy, Cotes du Rhone and Touraine Sauvignon – which have all proved popular.

What are you most proud of achieving this year? Have you managed to achieve any specific goals?

In June 2024, we re-located our entire premises – lock, stock and barrels – 15 miles down the road from Wiltshire to Somerset. This was two years in the planning and executed over a (very) long weekend. Herculean achievement from our team and it sets us up for the future.

And what is the biggest cause for concern?

The UK wine and spirits industry has proven impressively resilient in the face of unrelenting challenges over the past eight years, so I’m not overly concerned. However, declining interest in alcohol from Gen Z suggests some longer-term issues.

Specifically, what will be the likely impact on your business of the planned end of the temporary easement on wine duty on 1 February 2025?

Broadly, more unnecessary admin at a time when we’d all appreciate less. Specifically, we are likely to sell fewer bottles of higher abv wines (to private customers and restaurants) as that duty figure is passed on through the supply chain.

What are the biggest drinking trends at the moment, and how do you expect that to change going into the autumn?

Guinness 0.0 sales seem to be on an incredible trajectory right now and I can’t see a slow down there. Aside from that, our customers are looking for ‘best in class’ wines with a story behind them and again, we see that continuing.

Any other predictions for the second half of the year?

The UK economy is in a better place than it has been for two to three years, but consumer confidence seems to be lagging. That’s not unusual, so we are anticipating a catch-up scenario and a strong 12 months ahead.

Quick fire questions…

France, Italy or Spain? France, natch!

English fizz or Champagne? Champagne, by a whisker

‘Normal’ or ‘natural’ wine? Normal, don’t get me started

Brown or white spirits? Brown, unless I’m going ‘out, out’

Mixologist or mix it at home? Home

Sharing plates or structured meal? Sharing plates

Post-prandial preference? Bas Armagnac

Desert island treat? Domaine de Trévallon 1982 en magnum

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