Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Paragon rocked as second major director quits

Published: 23 July, 2008

Peter Williamson - known as "Slim" - is to follow Anthony Dee out of the door at London agent Paragon Vintners.

Extra business rates plan worries retailers

Published: 23 July, 2008

Retailers have expressed concerns over Government plans to give more powers to local authorities to raise additional taxes from businesses.

Ex Western Wines employee dies in car crash

Published: 23 July, 2008

Nicholas John Gretton, an ex-employee of Western Wines, has been killed in a car crash in Spain.

Sainsbury's poised to reveal strong figures

Published: 23 July, 2008

Sainsbury's is set for its thirteenth successive quarter of like-for-like growth, according to reports from the Sunday Telegraph.

Smirnoff is world's top wine and spirits brand

Published: 23 July, 2008

Smirnoff has topped the list for the best 100 wine and spirits brands in the world.

Constellation backs Banrock with 4m ad investment

Published: 23 July, 2008

Constellation has thrown its financial clout behind its eco-friendly Australian wine brand Banrock Station with a 4 million investment in a new advertising campaign.

Sainsbury's posts strong results

Published: 23 July, 2008

Sainsbury's has reported strong profits results for year trading up to March 22 2008.

WIRSPA hopes to make marque' at Distil

Published: 23 July, 2008

The West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers' Association (WIRSPA) is using this year's inaugural Distil exhibition to launch its new Authentic Caribbean Rum (ACR) marque to the UK trade.

Cockspur Rum investment sees label facelift

Published: 23 July, 2008

Cockspur Fine Rum has updated its bottle label for the first time in over two decades as it brings the European brand in line with the North American market.

Sainsbury's launches colour-coded wine guide

Published: 23 July, 2008

Sainsbury's will be launching a new consumer-focussed colour-coded style guide for its wines at the same time it introduces new packaging for its own label wines in August.

Stewart bolsters Asda's BWS team

Published: 23 July, 2008

Asda is strengthening its beers, wines and spirits (BWS) team by the appointment of two new product development managers, in addition to building a new category development team focussing on the "customer vision for BWS".

Sambuca looks for 40% growth

Published: 23 July, 2008

Cellar Trends aims to increase sales of its Luxardo sambuca by 40% in 2008 with an on-line marketing campaign.

China will be leading wine producer by 2058

Published: 23 July, 2008

China will come to the fore in the next half-century and emerge as the leading wine producing country.

Wine and Champagne to emerge in UK on-trade

Published: 23 July, 2008

Opportunity knocks for Champagne and sparkling wine categories in the UK's pubs, bars and restaurants.

French Champagne house buys Californian vineyards

Published: 23 July, 2008

Independent French Champagne house Louis Roederer has announced its purchase of prime Pinot Noir Vineyards in California's Anderson Valley.

Diageo's new Dublin brewery spells closures

Published: 23 July, 2008

Diageo's 650 million (250m) investment in a new Irish brewing centre will be the company's largest in its ten-year history but will be accompanied by closures and redundancies elsewhere in the business.

Health warnings on alcohol will receive "lukewarm reception"

Published: 23 July, 2008

Health warnings on alcoholic drinks will receive only a "lukewarm reception, with men in particular considering them a "waste of time," new Mintel research reveals.