Majestic eyes up expansion into the Channel Islands

Majestic Wines has revealed its plans to open a shop on Jersey at the end of this month, marking the retailer’s first foray into the Channel Islands.

With an adult population of around 86,000, the island of Jersey, which sits 85 miles off the English coast, is comparable in size to the city of Lincoln or Worcester (both of which already have Majestic shops) – and yet, until now, the company has not branched out there, or into any of the other Channel Islands.

“We’ve had our eyes on Jersey for a number of years as part of our growth plans, so we are delighted to be opening a brand new store on the island,” explained CEO John Colley. “We can’t wait to welcome the people of Jersey, share our expert knowledge and help them discover new wines, beers and spirits they will love.”

According to Majestic, the store will stock the full 1,200-strong range of Majestic wines, as well as beers, spirits, low- and no-alcohol alternatives, and snacks.

The opening, taking place on 30 April, marks Majestic’s first new store of this financial year. In the 2023/24 financial year, six stores were opened. There are more than 200 Majestic stores across the UK.

“Expanding outside of mainland UK and onto the Channel Islands is an incredibly exciting milestone for us in our growth strategy – one that underscores our ongoing commitment to investing in bricks and mortar retail,” Colley continued. “This is the first of many new store openings we have planned this year and we’re looking forward to welcoming even more new customers into the Majestic family.”

The announcement comes shortly after the confirmation that Majestic had acquired pour-your-own wine bar chain Vagabond. To read the drinks business‘ analysis on the topic, click here.