Keeping on top of bulk wine trends and opportunities is going to become increasingly more important for major UK on-trade buyers and suppliers.
Working in the wine and spirits industry means you are constantly worrying about both what is happening today and tomorrow, whilst at the same time keeping your eye on events and trends six months to a year down the line.
Having such a short and long term perspective on the state of the drinks industry is none better demonstrated than what is happening in the world of bulk wine. On the one hand buyers are constantly tracking currency rates to see where they can get their next best deal for the most in demand grapes, whilst also looking to lock in deals and partnerships for a year to 18 months out.
Bulk wine, and spirits, as we know, is no longer just the preserve of the big supermarkets looking to fill containers full of Chilean Merlot or New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. The cost savings and efficiencies involved in working with bulk wine means it is now very much in demand in the on-trade too.
Sourcing and developing own label, and exclusive wines for pubs, bars and restaurants is very much now on the agenda of the country’s biggest wine distributors and importers. With a number of the major on-trade operators, pub and restaurant groups also seeing the advantages of controlling their own supply chain, and either going direct to secure wine to be shipped and bottled in market, or increasingly expecting their wine suppliers to do that job for them.
Perfect timing
The Horticultural Halls will host the IBWSS event
All of which is good news and timing for next February’s inaugural dedicated conference and exhibition on bulk wine, the International Bulk Wine & Spirits Show, which is coming to London and Europe for the first time.
The event, which is organised by the American drinks publishing, marketing and B2B networking platform, the Beverage Trade Network, promises to bring all sides of the bulk wine industry together. From the end buyers in the on-trade and distribution channels, through to the bottling, shipping, logistics providers, through to major producers and suppliers of bulk wine.
The event, which takes place at London’s Horticultural Halls on February 26-27, will be a combination of a conference, featuring a series of seminars, panel debates and TED-style talks and a trade exhibition.
Some of the keynote panellist and speakers lined up take part include:
- Andrew Shaw, group wine buying director of Conviviality PLC who is in charge of managing the strategy of the UK’s most significant wine supplier covering both the on-and off-trades through its own businesses including Matthew Clark, Bibendum, PLB, Bargain Booze and Wine Rack. Across the group it is heavily involved in sourcing and shipping large volumes of bulk wine to be bottled in market in the UK.
- Neil Anderson, marketing director of Kingsland Drinks, which as one of the pioneering bulk wine bottling facilities in the UK is very well placed to not only look at the trends within the global bulk wine sector, but also using its own data, analytics and consumer research plotting the kinds of bulk wine that needs to be sourced and shipped in the future.
- Mark Lansley, chief executive of Broadland Wineries one of the UK’s most important and innovative bulk and contract wine bottling facilities. It has built up its business working most of the major supermarket, wholesaler and retailer groups in the UK as well as developing strong business in the US and Nordic states. As well as doing contract, third party work it is also a significant brand builder and wine supplier itself using bulk wine to source the most competitive juice for either its own wines or its partners. It has achieved on average 20% growth figures for the last 10 years and is on course to hit a £250m turnover by 2025.
- Robin Copestick, managing director of Copestick Murray, that was was one of the first companies to work closely with major UK supermarket groups to help source and ship bulk wine from around the world. It has gone on to use bottled in market wines as the commercial backbone to its varietal-driven I Heart brand which is now exported to around 30 countries around the world.
- David Richardson, regulatory and commercial affairs director at the Wine & Spirit Trade Association who will look at how the various steps all parties need to be aware of when shipping bulk wine and that bottlers, distributors and retailers are all aware of their own risks and responsibilities.
Sid Patel, chief executive of the Beverage Trade Network and organiser of IBWSS said: “It is time, we made private label and bulk trade a norm. London being the most important market for private label and bulk trade, we decided to make London our host city for Europe.”
He added: “The UK is one of the leading store-owned and private label markets, so it was a no brainer that we provide the platform to connect these buyers to top class suppliers from all over the world who are ready to offer private label services and understand what it takes in being a private label supply partner and help the buyer build their brand.”
How to take part
There is an opportunity for anyone looking to be an exhibitor at the event to take advantage of early bird booking fees. Up to the end of May it is possible to make savings of 30% for any space taken with the added incentive of paying 25% now and then the full amount by the end of August.
As a visitor: IBWSS London is relevant for anyone involved in the making, sourcing, buying, shipping, bottling, selling and marketing of bulk wine and spirits. Designed specifically for key players across the multiple grocery, convenience, wholesaler, on-trade sectors as well as producers, wineries, distilleries and service providers across the private label and branded wine and spirit sectors. RSVP here to get your free visitor trade pass and special deals for conference ticket.
* You can read more about the background to IBWSS and the Beverage Trade Network in our Supplier Partner section.
