Matthew Clark wine sales rise by 7%

On-trade wholesaler, Matthew Clark, has reported growth of 7% following a “surge” in sales from its wine portfolio, despite falling sales within the UK sector as a whole.

Wine sales rose by by 7% in the last 12 months, despite the sector experiencing a decline of 13% as a whole according to CGA, which the wholesaler attributed to its focus on “high-quality and exciting” wines.

Its success follows the addition of wines from smaller wineries from around the world including Chapel Down, Te Karainga, Bai Gorri and Herencia Altés, and its ‘Discover the Unexpected’ tasting last month.

The “interactive, colourful and educational” tasting moved away from the traditional trade tasting layout and saw a 65% increase in visitors on the previous year’s London tasting.

Ian Smith, commercial director at Matthew Clark said: “This growth in wine value sales proves that our decision to focus on quality was the right one.  We wanted to change perceptions of Matthew Clark and prove to people that we are more than just a reliable wine wholesaler.

“Our wines have received numerous accolades in the past twelve months and we, as a company, are very proud of this.  Our buying team is second to none and is committed to sourcing wines to appeal to every customer, big or small, boutique or chain.”