BBR acquires Richards Walford

Berry Brothers & Rudd is to buy Lincolnshire wine merchant Richards Walford.

Subject to contract, the deal will see BBR, which acquired Mistral Wines in 2007 after an earlier merger with Fields, Morris & Verdin, take charge of a portfolio with particularly strong representation from central Europe and France.

Among the producers imported directly by Richards Walford are Rolly Gassmann from Alsace, Domaine Huet from the Loire, Austria’s Willi Brundlmayer, Uwe Schiefer and Nikolaihof, as well as Neudorf from New Zealand and Eben Sadie’s wines from South Africa.

Richards Walford also operates a negociant business in Bordeaux and since 2001 has owned its own vineyard, Le Soula in Roussillon.

Commenting on the deal, John Hutton, agency director for BBR and managing director of both FMV and Mistral Wines, said: “Berry Brothers & Rudd has always believed in having a strong, active presence in the UK, our home market, and the continued success of our agency division is fundamental to this long term strategy.

Pointing to the company’s previous takeover experience, Hutton noted: “We are now absolutely delighted to be adding the knowledge, expertise and wines that will come with the acquisition of Richards Walford and the opportunities that lie ahead working with FMV.”

Roy Richards and Mark Walford added: “We are delighted to be assuring the future of Richards Walford, and the links with customers and suppliers which are so important to us, by cementing our relations with Fields, Morris & Verdin, the agency division of BB&R.

“This will enable our customers to benefit from the greater buying opportunity that an association with FMV will bring, and give our suppliers the advantage of access to a wider marketplace.”