Accolade Wines and Wine and Spirits Trade Association joint media release
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Minister George Eustice has officially opened an £8.5 million bottling line at Accolade Park, Europe’s largest wine warehouse and distribution centre in Bristol.
The new sixth bottling line means the state of the art facility owned by Accolade Wines, producer of Hardys, Banrock Station, Echo Falls and Kumala, can fill 1200 bottles of wine every minute.
Thirty new jobs have been created taking the onsite workforce to 500. The supply chain that enables wine to be delivered to the consumer employs nearly 3000 people – including glass, carton and label manufacturers as well as logistics experts, haulage workers and sales teams.
Accolade Park is one of the businesses that comprise the wider UK production network producing around 600m bottles, nearly one third of all wine consumed in Britain each year.
The facility, which last year was recognised as “World Class Manufacturer of the Year” in the Manufacturer MX Awards against competitors including Rolls Royce and Siemens, delivers quality, value and better environmental outcomes through bottling wine from around the world in Bristol.
Shipping in volume halves the transportation greenhouse footprint as a container can carry 25,000l of wine, compared with 10,000l transported as pallets of bottles.
Volume shipping and bottling in the UK allows lighter, recycled glass to be used, rather than the heavy glass needed for long-distance shipping, delivering additional environmental benefits.
George Eustice, Minister of State for Farming, said:
“As one of the largest global importers, exporters and consumers of wine with total trade reaching £2.7 billion in 2014, the UK has become a vital trading centre for the global wine trade and a major gateway for other countries looking to access the European single market.
“It is great to see our wine entrepreneurs building the UK’s reputation for world class bottling storage and distribution facilities by boosting investment, jobs and growth, helping to power our £100 billion food and drink industry.”
Miles Beale, Chief Executive of the Wine and Spirits Trade Association, said:
“Accolade Park is a fantastic example of how the wine industry is investing in the UK, creating new jobs at home and leading the field to find greener ways of working.
“Shipping wine into Britain in large volumes is more efficient, reduces fuel use and dramatically cuts carbon emissions.
“We are delighted to have had a chance to explain to the Minister how the UK has secured its place globally as the sixth largest wine market. Wine is now the UK’s most popular alcoholic drink and generates £17.3bn in economic activity.”
Paul Schaafsma, Chief Executive Officer of Accolade Wines, said:
“Accolade Park is the lynchpin of Accolade Wines’ European marketing strategy allowing the business to deliver quality, reliability, flexibility and range to its customers in the UK and in mainland Europe.
“Accolade Park allows our business to provide leading brands such as Hardys, Mud House, Viña Anakena, and Stowells– all from one world-leading facility.
“The facility is critical to our ability to deliver quality wines and packaging innovation to the major retailers in the UK and our customers across Europe.”
Notes to editors:
Wine and Spirits Trade Association
The WSTA is the UK organisation for the wine and spirit industry, representing over 300 companies producing, importing, transporting and selling wine and spirits. The WSTA works with its members to promote responsible production, marketing and sale of alcohol.
Wine facts:
• The duty rate on wine in the UK has gone up 3p since the 2016 Budget to £2.08 per bottle and 4p for sparkling to £2.67.
• The UK has the second highest wine duty rate in the EU.
• The UK Office for National Statistics released last week ‘Adult drinking habits in Great Britain: 2014,’ reporting wine was the most popular drink among those who drank only up to 4.67 units on their heaviest drinking day.
Accolade Wines
• Accolade Park is home to the largest wine warehouse and distribution centre in Europe (80,000m2)
• Accolade Wines is one of the world’s largest wine companies, delivering over 35 million cases to 143 countries. It is the largest wine company in the UK with a 13% share of the market. Brands include Hardys, Echo Falls, Kumala and Stowells.
For more information please contact Lucy Panton:
Tel: +44 (0) 207 0893875
Mobile: + 44 (0) 7776422656
