Broadland Wineries enjoys strong growth

By Gemma McKenna

Published: 04 June, 2014

Broadland Wineries has grown sales by 28% in the past year, with profits up 50% before tax, according to its managing director.

The Norfolk-based wine firm which acts as an agent, bottler and logistics house, is confident growth will continue in the coming years.

Speaking to Harpers.co.uk at London Wine Fair, managing director Mark Lansley said: "We still have capacity. I anticipate sales going up by another 28% this year, that's because we're developing bespoke products for retailers providing own label and own brands."

Lansley said being able to do smaller quantities was a real strong point. "For people who want to buy 24,000 litres or more this could be for you, but we also go down to 2,000 litres."

Broadland has totally changed its focus in the past four years. Contract packing used to account for 95% of its business, now it's only 5%, with private and own label making up a further 75% and its own brands accounting for 20%.

It is also starting to take on Old World agencies, where it is just as efficient to bring in bottled goods as to bottle in the UK.

"We could double our revenues by £35 to £40 million by taking bottling up from 27 million litres to 35 million litres of wine, which would take us to £50 to £70 million and then we could top up with agencies to get us to £100 million. We're not in a hurry as we're privately owned."

Lansley emphasised that the £100 million revenue target was a five to 10 year plan and that profitability is the firm's main goal.

The firm is currently evaluating its strategy for the coming years, but Lansley said: "We're a very cautious company financially. We don't want to put any of that at risk." He said Broadland has been hiring for the "longer term" and has a team with international experience. "We are scanning our horizons but there's market share here in the UK that we could tap into."

But Lansley warned that the UK has enough wine bottling and packaging capabilities now to match the total amount that could be packed here. "Of the New World wine that could be packed here - that's under £9 - it already is. We have reached an equilibrium point. There isn't any more that could be packed here. We're there."

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