Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Webinar: B Corp for the wine trade

Published: 14 August, 2024

Harpers and North South Wines are to host a free session exploring what it takes to become a B Corp certified company.

Scotland Food & Drink Partnership releases new Net Zero resource for hospitality

Published: 18 July, 2024

As part of its drive to assist hospitality in meeting a Net Zero Commitment, The Scotland Food & Drink Partnership has released a new handbook to help food and drink businesses navigate sustainable progress.

Denbies attains B Corp status

Published: 16 July, 2024

Denbies Wine Estate has achieved B Corp certification, being scored highest for its sector in the UK.

Carbon enrichment project maps impact of CO2 increases by 2050

Published: 15 July, 2024

The results of a fascinating carbon enrichment project have been revealed in the Rheingau area of Germany, where vineyards are being tested with levels of CO2 which are 20% higher than the current global average – and mimic where global atmospheric concentration will be by the middle of the century.

Pemiumisation remains the key driver in on-trade drinks sales

Published: 02 July, 2024

The trend to premium drinking is predicted to continue as consumers continue to drink less but better, according to the latest insights from analyst CGA by NIQ. Moreover, while ‘value-for-money’ remains key, this is about drinks ‘worth the price’, rather than ‘cheap’.

Trade called to ‘shift its mindset’ via Reuse Ready Charter

Published: 28 June, 2024

‘The future is reusable’, a report from the London Wine Fair’s (LWF) Bottle Collection Initiative has concluded after inaugural findings showed that reusing a bottle generates energy savings of 96%.

Appellation Marlborough Wine tightens certification standards

Published: 18 June, 2024

Since its inception in 2018, Appellation Marlborough Wine (AMW) has sought to preserve and enhance the quality reputation of Marlborough wines. In that time, the organisation has established stringent quality criteria for certification, advocating for tighter industry regulations at both local and national levels, and introducing the Wine Map of Marlborough, an essential tool for understanding the region’s diversity.

Lanchester’s ‘super lightweight’ 300g bottle launches in Aldi

Published: 17 May, 2024

Lanchester Wines has become the first UK wine importer to launch a wine in a super lightweight 300g wine bottle, in partnership with a major discounter.

Bousquet impact report aims to ‘move the sustainability needle’ in South America

Published: 09 May, 2024

Domaine Bousquet has released a seminal Sustainability Impact Report which outlines the achievements and future direction for wineries in South America.

Broadland makes the case for concentrate via new range

Published: 05 April, 2024

Broadland Drinks has mounted a passionate defence of wine made from grape concentrate as it reveals new research which shows such products can undercut a traditionally made wine’s carbon footprint by up to a quarter.

Friday Read: Encirc on uncorking the path to Net Zero

Published: 15 March, 2024

Fiacre O’Donnell, sustainability director at glass container manufacturer Encirc, looks at the future of sustainability for wine and spirits supply, including low-carbon/alternative energy fuels and the possibilities of a digital deposit return scheme (DDRS).

Jerry Lockspeiser: Should business get involved in politics? Like it or not, we already are

Published: 22 February, 2024

Back in the good old days when my life involved selling millions of bottles of Hungarian wine to the UK’s major retailers, I made an appointment with the buyer at Sainsbury’s. They bought from one of our competitors and were proving a hard nut for me to crack. Buyers often kept suppliers waiting beyond the appointed time, so I settled down with my copy of The Guardian in anticipation.

Exclusive: Broadland reinstalls corking line after 15 years

Published: 09 February, 2024

Norfolk bottler Broadland Drinks is re-installing its corking line after a 15-year absence in a move which marks a significant re-emergence of cork back into the UK drinks scene, Harpers can reveal.

Guy Woodward: The perils of eco-friendly embellishment

Published: 16 January, 2024

I spent Christmas in South Carolina, to where my wife’s parents have just moved after three decades in Colorado. What with the new home and the festive season, there was much to celebrate. All of which, naturally, called for a special bottle.

Wine bulks up in value

Published: 20 December, 2023

Following the World Bulk Wine Exhibition in Amsterdam, James Bayley catches up with the OIV to get the global view.

Codorníu launches first still wine range in the UK

Published: 18 December, 2023

Sparkling juggernaut Codorníu is officially expanding its portfolio in the UK with the launch of the brand’s first-ever still wine collection.

Waitrose battles carbon

Published: 18 December, 2023

Waitrose has put emphasis on bulk wine shipping as an important factor in reducing its carbon footprint. James Bayley reports.

Flat bottle production set to rise via new ‘cutting-edge’ facility

Published: 11 December, 2023

Packamama, the eco flat bottle company behind the new-look Banrock Station, is upping its capacity via a new product-specific bottling line which looks set to significantly increase the presence of alternative format wines in markets like the UK.

Duty coincides with drinking trends says Kingsland Drinks

Published: 24 November, 2023

As 2023 draws to a close, independent UK supplier, Kingsland Drinks, has revealed its insights on key areas to watch out for in 2024, looking at incoming drinks trends in wine, spirits and RTDs.

WBWE 2023: Bulk and the path to Cop 28

Published: 24 November, 2023

As the global supply chain continues to operate in a state of flux, bulk shipping is becoming an increasingly attractive – and sustainable – proposition for wine businesses around the world… if only the required number of flexitanks and containers remain in operation.