jamie goode's wine blog: Majestic acquires Lay & Wheeler

Friday, March 06, 2009

Majestic acquires Lay & Wheeler

Very interesting news: Majestic, one of the UK's most successful wine retailers, has just acquired well-regarded east anglian merchant Lay & Wheeler (see news here). What will Majestic do with Lay & Wheeler, and how does the acquisition of a more traditional wine merchant fit with Majestic's current retail model (out-of-town warehouses selling in quantities of 12 bottles or more)?

4 Comments:

At 10:10 PM, Blogger Douglas Blyde said...

Fascinating. First Wheeler Cellars to Enotria, and now this.

 
At 1:56 PM, Blogger Wine Splodge said...

Maybe it's good thing, fine wines to a larger audience? But always seems a shame to see an independent family run businesses consumed. Even one that insisted on writing "Carriages for 10.30" in it's promotional literature for wine events.... tempting the response: "Would love to attend, alas, carriage at cartwright being polished".
The news release says last year's pre-tax profits were £0.5m. Is that healthy given the likely further impact of the recession? And could that have been a factor in the sale?

 
At 4:21 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

a pity but maybe too much money spent on London bars and a focus on the corporate side rather than nurturing a body of individual customers.prices too seemed high in recent years. lost the plot i fear.

 
At 7:17 PM, Anonymous Jonesy said...

Majestic quick to make Lay-offs at Lay & Wheeler -

I hear that just 3 weeks after the Majestic take over, the staff culling has already begun at Lay and Wheeler. What a shame for the loyal, long-standing team at the once-independent, 150 year old family wine merchant.

These are sad times for the staff that I have commended in the past for their excellent service, and shall also be for customers who value the personal touch.

 

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