Emporia to offer spirits training to indies

Published: 21 January, 2011

Emporia Brands is launching spirits training days for independent merchants and specialist outlets across the country.

The premium spirits agency has recruited spirits expert Mark Ridgwell, who has worked in the trade for over 30 years, to lead the training.

The spirits course aims to give the "quality story" behind each category, as well as covering the ways they are consumed, social responsibility issues, how to taste spirits, demonstrations of classic cocktails and an examination.

The 20-store Wine Rack chain has set up a Spirits School and will start its first one day course February 24. Every manager and senior assistant will attend and sit the examination to gain the WSET Foundation Certificate in Spirits. Rhythm & Booze, the 80-store Yorkshire-based specialist, will offer their team the chance to learn "The language of fine spirits" with a series of training days starting in March. In Scotland, Edinburgh's Voodoo Rooms will also be participating - offering a class for managers and owners from over 20 independent wine merchants.

Emporia Brands chairman James Rackham said: "The specialist sector has changed massively in the last 18 months, following the crash of First Quench which at one time had over 3,000 outlets. But from all these changes has emerged a vibrant group of passionate independent retailers, whose enthusiastic staff are hungry for knowledge they can pass on to their customers."

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