Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

David Sandys-Renton passes away

Published: 27 January, 2022

Wine pioneer David Sandys-Renton has died, aged 85.

Profile: Fine Wines Direct take action

Published: 18 January, 2022

Andrew Catchpole caught up with the team at the “fiercely independent” Fine Wines Direct to discuss their new agency business, as well as plans for expansion and diversification

Barcelona Wine Week postponed to April 2022

Published: 14 January, 2022

The second edition of Barcelona’s leading trade fair has been postponed, due to concerns over travel restrictions and the Omicron variant.

Jerry Lockspeiser: On Jeremy Clarkson, margins and the ‘middleman’ dog whistle

Published: 22 December, 2021

In case anyone missed it, Jeremy Clarkson has recently launched his own beer brand, Hawkstone. The lager is made with barley grown on his Cotswolds farm. Exposed to the workings of the supply chain, Clarkson was reportedly aghast at the difference between the £205 per tonne he received for his barley and the £580 paid by the brewers to the middleman.

Sunak announces new relief for hospitality sector

Published: 21 December, 2021

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a further round of grants of up to £6,000 per hospitality premise, also committing to a top up of discretionary grant funding, as part of a £1 billion package to support the sector.

Hennings welcomes Delta Estate into fold

Published: 13 December, 2021

Hennings Wine Merchants has taken the first shipment from its new partnership with Delta Estate Wines in Marlborough.

31 Dover rebrands as SPIRIT.ED

Published: 07 December, 2021

Premium drinks company 31 Dover has changed its trading name to SPIRIT.ED.

Wine Australia looks to expand its reach through high-profile partnership

Published: 06 December, 2021

Wine Australia has recently announced a partnership between its own Australian Wine Connect platform and industry events organiser Vinexpo’s digital platform Vinexposium.

Profile: Fortune Fleming

Published: 19 November, 2021

A bullish Brett Fleming explains to Andrew Catchpole why Armit Wines is back with a bang, firmly focused on the high ground.

Hospitality is in ‘peril’ and ‘fighting’ for survival

Published: 12 November, 2021

The hospitality sector is “an industry in peril” that is fighting for its life, the latest edition of the UKHospitality (UKH) and CGA Quarterly Tracker has said.

The Wine Society pledges to hit net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040

Published: 08 November, 2021

The Wine Society is undertaking an ambitious project to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its business and supply chain by 2040 as part of its mission to be the most ethical and responsible wine retailer in the world.

Increased supplier costs for SMEs as price of raw materials rack up

Published: 02 November, 2021

Supply chain issues and increasing costs have impacted small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the country with four out of five (79%) revealing they have faced increased prices from suppliers over the past six months.

UK food & drink businesses ‘behind’ on climate change targets, says WRAP research

Published: 01 November, 2021

Just under two-thirds (63%) of UK consumers want businesses to take immediate action to tackle climate change, a new national survey commissioned by sustainability charity WRAP has showed.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Can we trade our way out of this mess?

Published: 28 October, 2021

Sitting in reception at one of the UK’s biggest supermarkets waiting for the wine buyer to appear for our appointment, I flicked through my newspaper. When he arrived, I hurriedly stuffed the paper into my briefcase, but not before the buyer had caught sight of it. “Ah, you are one of those are you?” he said, having identified my copy of The Guardian.

Business rates for hospitality cut by 50% for one year

Published: 27 October, 2021

Today’s Budget announcement included a year-long cut to business rates for the leisure and retail industry, meaning pubs, restaurants and bars will pay 50% less for 12 months.

Building a wine subscription model

Published: 25 October, 2021

The traditional wine club has gone online and re-emerged as a strong subscription proposition for businesses of all shapes and sizes, as Jo Gilbert reports from Harpers’ SITT panel discussion.

Long read: Top tips for a roaring recovery

Published: 21 October, 2021

All businesses were hit hard by the pandemic, though arguably none more so than the hospitality industry. Having worked with hundreds of bars, cafes, wineries, breweries, distilleries and cideries across the world, Erik Wolf, executive director of the World Food Travel Association, takes us through his top tips on how beverage business managers and owners can super-charge their post-pandemic recovery.

Liberty Wines goes ‘carbon neutral plus’

Published: 18 October, 2021

Liberty Wines has revealed that it has become the only ‘carbon neutral plus’ UK wine supplier – offsetting more emissions than the business generates.

Managed hospitality venues see September sales bounce

Published: 18 October, 2021

Managed restaurant, pub and bar groups achieved a ‘significant bounce’ in sales in September, the latest edition of the Coffer CGA Business Tracker has revealed.

Soho Street Cocktails signs exclusive distribution deal with Vindependents

Published: 13 October, 2021

Soho Street Cocktails, the ready-to-drink premium cocktail brand, has signed an exclusive distribution deal with Vindependents, the independent merchant buying group.