The UK’s largest wine retailer Majestic has announced it is seeking to add 150 new employees, both temporary and permanent, across its 216 shops in anticipation of Christmas trading.
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I recently read that the UK is on the verge of a sake boom. The trade press article reported “a healthy increase in popularity”, with the St James’s wine merchant Berry Bros & Rudd noting “a 1,000% increase in sales between 2023 and 2024” and “heaps of coverage in the press”. Normally sake gets next to no coverage in the press so this was news to me. I thought then that I should check and see if there really is a breakthrough, or if, like previous claims for Riesling or Muscat, the hype outweighs the evidence.
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Surfacing from some of the gloomy news that it is all too often our lot to report, the Harpers team thought it would take a more light-hearted approach to this August summer issue by surveying the likes and dislikes of indie merchants when it comes to their own wine imbibing and buying habits.
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Tasting events are a mainstay of many wine retailers’ offerings as a way of introducing consumers to different styles and encouraging spend. But beyond this they can be leveraged to foster customer loyalty, which is deemed priceless in the trade.
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The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill includes a ban on upward-only rent review clauses in commercial leases.
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Fine wine merchant Armit Wines has unveiled its new Armit Wine Club initiative. The quarterly service will offer its private clients ‘ready to drink wines’ at beneficial pricing.
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Harpers UK's 50 Best Indies 2026 listing is now open to nominations from the trade.
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Wine retailer Majestic has announced the opening of a new retail site in Thame, Oxfordshire. The addition comes as the business prepares to open two more stores as well as two Vagabond wine bars over the coming months.
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Online wine retailer and wholesaler Good Wine Good People (GWGP) has announced a fresh crowdfunding round in a bid to expand the business.
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French wine on-trade sales have taken a hit over the past year, though bright spots are present, with a strong showing in the off-trade for Gallic labels by contrast. Off-trade performance is partly spurred by French sparkling – according to Kantar’s Take Home Purchase Panel the category grew 24% and 4.6% in terms of volume and value respectively over the past five years – the diverging figures potentially illustrating the promise of categories such as Crémant.
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Online wine retailer Perfect Cellar has announced the addition of Master Sommelier Christopher Delalonde to its team. The former Sommelier of the Year winner joins as head of fine wine, while also steering the company’s new Collector Club.
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Wine wholesaler Evertons Wine Merchants has announced the opening of a retail site, with a new wine shop set to open in Worcester on Friday 2 May.
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Kiwi Cru an online retailer and events company dedicated to the promotion of wines from New Zealand has been launched in the UK. The new project is spearheaded by founder Pippa Wood, an entrepeneur who has held past roles at Berry Bros. & Rudd and Bolney Wine Estate.
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Bicester-based importer North South Wines has announced the appointment of two new team members. Holly Ninnes (pictured, left) joins in the newly created role of commercial buyer, with Mark Juggins (right) stepping in as the company’s latest head of off-trade. The new additions are part of a wider five-year growth strategy which seeks to expand the business’s commercial footprint.
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Colchester-headquartered independent drinks manufacturer and distributor Riviera Drinks has announced the acquisition of Soho Street Cocktails, a ready-made cocktail brand.
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Reserve Wines’ willingness to keep things fresh and adapt in an ever-evolving wine market has meant accolades and praise have continued to come the Manchester-based merchant’s way. When one digs a little deeper, decoding why the Harpers 50 Best Indies 2025 winner has continued to succeed is fairly simple.
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Condor Wines, the independent South American specialist importer, has partnered with the Wine and Spirits Trade Association (WSTA) to launch a new membership package, designed specifically for independent merchants.
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Importers face a fine balancing act heading into 2025, continuing to present a diverse, well-priced portfolio offer while being beset by the cost shocks of duty rises, EPR and National Insurance rises, to name just a few. For specialist importers of South American wine navigating this puzzle can feel notably headache-inducing, particularly because naturally high-abv wines such as Argentinian Malbecs will be harder hit by duty changes. This is a challenge as these wines’ very taste and style can rely upon this higher alcohol content.
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A new strategic plan from Naked Wines has been announced by the online retailer, including the aspiration of reaching £10-15m annual earnings before earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) in the medium term.
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Virgin Wines, one of the UK’s leading online wine retailers, has announced a new growth strategy which aims to increase the company’s yearly revenue to £100m within five years. This would represent a substantial increase as the retailer's revenue for the 2024 financial year stood at £59m.
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