Analysis & Insights - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

The pros and pros of pop-up culture

Published: 26 November, 2019

Pop-up spaces offer the chance to road test a concept while also appealing to experience-hungry demographics. Jo Gilbert looks at the commercial benefits

All quiet on the Australian front

Published: 21 November, 2019

ABS Wine Agencies continues to demonstrate its command of the supply chain with the ongoing success of its parcel-based shipping scheme. Jo Gilbert reports

The spirits of Christmas

Published: 19 November, 2019

Christmas is no longer a single trading period, but a series of escalating moments brimming with opportunities to upsell and drive profit. Jo Gilbert looks at where spirits slide into the mix.

Coming into port

Published: 15 November, 2019

Despite its best efforts, the famous fortified is failing to make any real headway. But producers are putting their faith in premium and innovation, reports Lisa Riley

Gin: Ascending the throne

Published: 14 November, 2019

It’s been on the cards for some time. Back in 2014, there were rumblings that gin was poised to overtake vodka as the UK’s spirit of choice in time for the new decade.

CBD winners on a high as premium demand grows

Published: 06 November, 2019

CBD is the new rock ’n’ roll of drinks, but products infused with this by-product of the hemp plant are only just starting to find their feet. A revolution is likely on the way, finds Andrew Catchpole.

Loire leaps up in UK exports but still has far to go

Published: 04 November, 2019

Wine producers are making concerted efforts to convince consumers to fall in love with their region. By Lisa Riley

Digital frontiers

Published: 30 October, 2019

Excel spreadsheets and WhatsApping account reps should be a thing of the past, say the brains behind OnStock, a new online ordering platform for the UK bar trade from the Vanquish and 31Dover team, as Jo Gilbert reports.

Sherry and the pacemakers

Published: 28 October, 2019

Young drinkers have shunned Sherry for years, writes Andrew Catchpole. But premium styles are winning them over.

Branded outlets thriving in difficult marketplace

Published: 23 October, 2019

The MCA Restaurant Report 2019 shows there are gains to be had in a troubled market for restaurants prepared to double down and focus on quality. Jo Gilbert wades in

Wholesale: the last piece of the indie jigsaw

Published: 21 October, 2019

Indie wholesale is on the rise, tapping into a retail ethos of knowledge, service and quality product, writes Andrew Catchpole

On nailing the Christmas trade-up

Published: 18 October, 2019

Upselling has always been the name of the game at Christmas. But is there more the on- and off-trade can do? James Lawrence reports

How to build a restaurant wine list

Published: 16 October, 2019

When a new restaurant is launched everyone focusses on the food (and more often than not the person behind the food), but how do you put the wine list centre stage?

Beyond the Tejo

Published: 16 October, 2019

Jo Gilbert digs deep into the vinous roots of southern Portugal to discover how three decades of investment continues to unearth indigenous gems.

Vegan wine: the good stuff

Published: 14 October, 2019

The number of vegans in the UK has doubled in the last two years. But is the wine trade doing enough to cater to this exploding demographic, asks Lisa Riley?

Going full circle

Published: 11 October, 2019

Andrew Caillard MW talks Chris Losh through the complex web of trends shaping the winemaking scene Down Under

Aldi: from zero to hero

Published: 09 October, 2019

From outcast to underdog to winner of international awards, Aldi continues to beat expectations with a new buying hub in Austria and a range of online premium exclusives. Jo Gilbert reports

Brandies: unleashing a spirit of adventure

Published: 04 October, 2019

Grape spirits really don’t get a fair deal in UK bars, where even Cognac and Armagnac rarely receive the shelf space or cocktail list presence their global reputations deserve. Grapes are grown and distilled in dozens of other places around the world, but those brandies are largely overlooked as well.

Tech: Bringing AI to independents

Published: 02 October, 2019

How can smaller stores compete with the sprawling technology departments and deep machine learning capabilities of giants such as Amazon and Walmart? NextOrbit’s small business networks might provide an answer, writes Jo Gilbert