Bancroft boosts on-trade portfolio after signing up 11 new wineries

By Arabella Mileham

Published: 07 May, 2015

Bancroft Wines is further strengthening its French wine portfolio after releasing its 25th anniversary 2015 wine list.

The London-based supplier has added eleven wineries - 8 from France, one Sicilian and two South American wineries - which are primarily targeting the on-trade. It has also dedicated the 2015 list to the company's founder, the late Adam Bancroft, as part of its 25th anniversary celebrations.

The new wineries include Château de Hureau in Saumur, Domaine de la Vinçonnière in Muscadet' Burgundian winery Lupé-Cholet, Château La Gorce in Medoc, Cusora in Sicily, family-run South African winery Ataraxia in Hemel-en-Aarde and Revancha in Mendoza.

Managing director Neil McAndrew said he was confident the new producers had helped it create its strongest range to date and were in tune with what its customers were looking for.

"These new wines will complement our already comprehensive, quality portfolio, and naturally fit the specific segments of the industry that we serve," he said.

The 2015 list comprises wines from around 150 wineries, with particularly emphasis on French wines, which accounts for nearly 60% of producers, and 15 Spanish producers. It also works with wineries in Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Portugal, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Chile, New Zealand and the USA.

It forms part of an on-going strategy to develop relationships with better quality agencies to build the portfolio and cater for its clients.

Speaking to Harpers last month, he said there were a number of opportunities the company was looking at and it would be adding two or three prestigious agencies in the next 18 months. He identified Italy, California and Croatia as areas of opportunity for new and interesting wines.

The company had enjoyed its strongest year to date - turnover rose 10% as the company returned to profit - and there was good momentum across all of its channels, McAndrew said. In March, it restructured the business to create four divisions dedicated to different channels and focussing more clearly on different customer types.

"The benefit is being more focussed and being more bespoke in our offering," McAndrew said. "Bancroft is growing up, as the market is so competitive - unless you have everything in place, smaller companies will struggle. We have ambitious plans and it's a good opportunity for us.

"It is difficult to make a quantum leap, but we want to be a £15m business in five years. In order to do that, we need to hit £9.5m next year and there is no reason why we can't," he said.

The company supplies independent merchants, as well as retailers Majestic and M&S.