Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Virgin Wines wants to be Interflora of wine gifting

Published: 03 November, 2014

Online wine retailer Virgin Wines is looking to "own" the wine gifts market with its new gifting service which includes options from £20 to £150.

Lidl shows the way forward in how to sell wine says Robert Joseph at DWCC

Published: 03 November, 2014

Both multiple and specialist retailers could learn a lot from "the balls" that Lidl and other discounters are now using to market and sell wine, according to wine commentator and consultant Robert Joseph.

Wine drinkers want "dinner party one liners" not education says Justin Howard-Sneyd at DWCC

Published: 01 November, 2014

The majority of wine consumers are not looking to be educated about wine, but are interested in little nuggets of information or a "dinner party one liner" about the wines they have bought, according to Laithwaite's global wine consultant Justin Howard-Sneyd MW.

The Week That Was: top news, Q&As and opinion on Harpers.co.uk

Published: 31 October, 2014

In case you missed some of the headlines this week on harpers.co.uk, we have done a review of the top online news, financial news for the drinks trade, Q&As, and opinion stories.

Majestic asks suppliers to 'support' new warehouse with discounts

Published: 30 October, 2014

Majestic has asked some of its suppliers to contribute a 4p per bottle retrospective payment to help fund its new warehouse in Hemel Hempstead, Harpers understands.

TescoGate: Tesco and Serious Fraud Office confirm criminal investigation

Published: 29 October, 2014

The Serious Fraud Office has launched a criminal investigation into Tesco's accounting irregularities after the retailer confimed it had mis-stated profits by £263 million.

Tia Maria liqueur teams up with beauty brand Babyliss

Published: 28 October, 2014

Tia Maria has teamed up with beauty brand Babyliss as part of its multi-million pound campaign to boost brand awareness.

Smaller wineries now selling more than half of wine direct to consumer

Published: 28 October, 2014

Smaller Australian, South African and New Zealand wineries are now selling more than half of their wines direct to consumer.

Tesco lists beer created by army veterans to support Help for Heroes

Published: 28 October, 2014

Tesco has listed a Help for Heroes beer, created by injured veterans with the help of brewer and pub operator Marstons, to help raise funds for wounded servicemen.

Chile's Casillero del Diablo enters UK's Top 10 wine brands for first time

Published: 28 October, 2014

Chilean wine giant Concha y Toro's Casillero del Diablo has entered the UK's Top 10 wine brand for the first time as sales have grown 35% year on year.

Retail expert says Big Four should 'cosy up' to discounters

Published: 27 October, 2014

A leading retail expert has said Britain's Big Four need to ditch larger stores and "cosy up" to discounters by locating convenience outlets next door.

Can supermarkets handle Britain's changing shopping habits?

Published: 27 October, 2014

Professor Heiner Evanschitzky of Aston Business School asks whether the supermarkets handle Britain's changing shopping habits.

Waitrose extends Wincanton's wine storage and distribution contract

Published: 27 October, 2014

Wincanton has secured a contract extension with Waitrose for its wine and spirits storage and distribution - taking the partnership to over 20 years.

Minimum pricing still on agenda with Public Health England

Published: 27 October, 2014

Minimum pricing could be back on the UK government's agenda sooner than expected, as Public Health England vows to keep pushing for the measure in the next 18 months.

The Week That Was: Tescogate and other top news, Q&As and opinion on Harpers.co.uk

Published: 24 October, 2014

In case you missed some of the headlines this week on harpers.co.uk, we have done a review of the top online news, financial news for the drinks trade, Q&As, and opinion stories.

Strong UK delegation of senior executives to appear at global Wine Vision conference

Published: 24 October, 2014

Robin Copestick of Copestick Murray, Troy Christensen of Enotria and Simon McMurtrie of Direct Wines are part of a strong UK line up of major executives that have signed up as key speakers at next month's global Wine Vision conference.

TescoGate: Credit rating downgraded in fear of shareholder litigation

Published: 24 October, 2014

Moody's Credit Agency further downgraded Tesco short and long-term credit in response to company's announcement yesterday that it had overstated profits by £263m. Tesco's ratings will remain on review for further downgrades due to concerns over the potential financial impact for shareholder litigation.

Waitrose predicts healthy future for South American and lighter style wines and spirits

Published: 24 October, 2014

South American wines and more left field grape varieties like an Austrian Grüner Veltliner or a Spanish Albarino are going to become far more trendy in the months ahead, according to the new Waitrose Food and Drink Report 2014.

TescoGate: suppliers should complain to Groceries Code adjudicator

Published: 24 October, 2014

A leading wine trade lawyer has called on suppliers who feel they have been badly treated by Tesco or any other supermarket, to complain to the Groceries Supply Code adjudicator.

TescoGate: Angela Mount identifies the impact on BWS of retailer's lack of strategy

Published: 23 October, 2014

Ex-Somerfield wine buyer Angela Mount questions how Tesco's BWS department will function in the longer term as pressure to make trading plans for next year builds.