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Wild Idol launches alcohol-free wine into super premium category
Paul Beavis, former managing director of Champagne Lanson, has ventured into alcohol-free sparkling wine with the launch of Wild Idol, positioning the new brand in the super premium category.
With an RRP of £35, the vegan, gluten-free, low calorie and no-alcohol drink is intended for a super premium market position.
Wild Idol is not de-alcoholised, having never contained alcohol or gone through a fermentation process.
The brand has secured retail partners including Harrods, Selfridges and Daylesford, and is distributed by major UK retailers Bibendum, Liberty Wines, Enotria, and Matthew Clark.
Wild Idol also has on-trade listings in Jason Atherton’s restaurant portfolio, Tom Kerridge’s The Hand & Flowers, The Ivy Collection, Rosewood London, The Dorchester, Gleneagles and Fallow.
The range currently includes a white and a rosé option, featuring grape varietals Müller-Thurgau, Dornfelder and Merlot, chosen for their clean, naturally fruit-forward and aromatic character, according to the brand.
CEO Paul Beavis said of the launch: “We are delighted to present a premium product to the ever-growing non-alcoholic market, filling a notable gap in the premium sparkling category.
“From my experience in the luxury beverage sector, I have never come across an alcohol-free product that holds its own as a wine and Champagne alternative until now.
“Wild Idol simply has no compromise on production method or taste, and the feedback from the on-trade on the finished product has been phenomenal.”
Major international expansion is planned for the future, starting with a launch in the Middle East no-alcohol sector later this summer in partnership with Maritime and Mercantile International (MMI), a beverage distributor in the Middle East, followed by further expansion into the US market set for the end of year.
Paul Beavis, former managing director for Lanson UK and North America, stepped down from the role at the end of December after 20 years with the Champagne house. Read more on that here.