Online wine retailer, The New Zealand House of Wine, which falls under the Cadman Capital Group’s portfolio of companies, has reported a record-breaking year in sales as UK consumers continue to opt for online ordering and home delivery options.
The retailer, which was founded in 2003 and now offers the UK’s largest selection of New Zealand wines, experienced an 86.5% increase in year-on-year sales during the nine month period from April to December 2020.
The increase in sales comes after the business implemented changes to significantly improve its logistical operations and customer service offering in early 2020. The business also underwent a period of digital transformation later in the year, launching a new-look website, which was backed by an increase in online marketing activity to drive awareness of the brand and its offering.
Kieran Wilson, Wine Buyer at The New Zealand House of Wine, commented: “No one could have predicted the happenings of 2020 and even more so, no one could have anticipated whether that would positively or negatively affect each individual business. We are extremely fortunate to have prepared well for the increase in demand, allowing us to effectively react through the creation of new jobs and the relocation to a larger premises.”
Giles Cadman, Chairman of the Cadman Capital Group added: “When we initially began to see order numbers increase, we had to adapt quickly to the growing demand. Our ability to do so has resulted in a fantastic year for the business and has reassured us that the operational excellence we strive for has been implemented effectively. We hope to continue serving increased numbers of wine enthusiasts throughout the UK with new and exciting wines of the New World, at great prices and with great service.”
The surge in sales also supports research conducted by Wines of Great Britain, suggesting that direct to consumer sales within the wine industry peaked in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift in consumer preference to order food and drink online.
The South Africa House of Wine, another online retail wine business that sits under the Cadman Capital Group umbrella, which was launched in 2019, also saw a drastic increase in sales in 2020, despite the troubles the South African wine industry has and continues to face.