WSTA adds five to board

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has dramatically expanded its board to help meet the challenges of a fast-changing trading environment, adding five new members to take the board’s total membership to 16.

New commercial director role at Mangrove UK

Boutique spirits importer and distributer Mangrove UK has a new head honcho at the helm of the company’s marketing and sales teams.

Birse-Stewart joins Berkmann’s Scottish team

Distributor Berkmann Wine Cellars has appointed Billy Birse-Stewart as consultant director.

Alliance adds Manos Negras to portfolio

Importer Alliance Wine has won the exclusive UK agency rights for Argentina’s Manos Negras winery.

Ed Baker, managing director, Kingsland Drinks

A refreshed Kingsland Drinks is investing heavily in new formats and product-bottling lines to turbo-charge its bespoke drinks service. Jo Gilbert catches up with its new managing director

Harpers to host sparkling wine discussion at Bellavita

Harpers editor Andrew Catchpole will host a roundtable on sparkling wines at Mediterranean food and wine fair Bellavita next week.

New marketing director for Bordeaux

The CIVB has appointed Julie Rambaud-Texier to head its newly restructured marketing department.

Majestic Wine announces first post-sale tasting

Majestic Wine has revealed details of its first tasting event since its acquisition by US private equity firm Fortress for £95 million early last month.

SWA hires ex-FO mandarin for key international role

The Scotch Whisky Association has appointed a former senior official at the Foreign Office as the organisation’s international director.

Major shift-around as Kingsland Drinks re-thinks senior leadership team

Manchester-based bottler Kingsland Drinks has announced high-level executive changes to devote greater focus on its “strategic development and business direction”.

Majestic sale confirmed

The sale of Majestic Wine to US private equity firm Fortress has been confirmed.

Chapel Down Group appoints new sales director

Chapel Down Group has recruited a former retail channel controller at Treasury Wine Estates as its new sales director.

Independents prepare to fill the gap left by Majestic

The Majestic brand has taken a bullet and is soon to be haemorrhaging stores – prompting businesses to reconsider their position on the high street.

Premium spirits worth 40% more to the on-trade at Christmas

The shift to premium spirits has happened and is here to stay, opening up a multimillion pound opportunity for the UK’s bars and restaurants this festive season.

Looking ahead: Stephen Finch, Vagabond Wines

As the first half of 2018 draws to a close, Harpers asked key trade figures to highlight the current challenges, on-going trends and opportunities

Bancroft picks up Brokenwood from Negociants UK

Bancroft Wines has picked up the distribution of quality Australian wine estate Brokenwood Wines following the merger of Negociants UK into parent company, Fells.

Meet the buyers: Matthew Harris, owner/director at Planet Of The Grapes

Hybrids that mix it up with wine and food spill the beans on how to juggle retail and in-house hospitality.

Croft, Fonseca and Taylor’s Port declare 2016 vintage

New role at GCF puts focus on UK

Major French exporter Les Grands Chais de France (GCF) has appointed a new UK based wine director to oversee the group’s activities outside of France.

Broadland Wineries appoints Paul Schaafsma as CEO

Broadland Wineries has appointed former Accolade Wines CEO Paul Schaafsma as its new CEO.