As we begin the countdown to this year’s Neighbourhood Retailer Awards, we focus on our fantastic award sponsors in our series, Sponsor Spotlight.

Sponsoring our Off Licence of the Year category, United Wines is also the main drinks sponsor for the awards evening itself.

United Wine Merchants was founded in 1985, emerging as a key player in the Northern Ireland drinks industry. Over the decades, it has grown from a modest operation into one of the region’s leading drinks distributors. With a broad portfolio that includes an impressive range of wines, spirits, beers, and soft drinks.

Managing Director, Martin McAuley said: “We’re delighted to be this year’s drink sponsors and sponsor of the ‘Off Licence of the Year’ award.

“We’re proud to be a trusted supplier for independent retailers, bars, and restaurants across Northern Ireland and appreciate the support shown by retailers and their teams over the past year.

“We’ve continued to thrive in an increasingly competitive market by maintaining strong relationships with our retailers and providing a distinctive product range. Congratulations to all the nominees for making it to the shortlist in such a tough category.”

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With health and wellness in the psyche of the nation following the pandemic, the no and low alcohol category is thriving.

In the past year, alcohol moderation and ‘mindful drinking’ has become a mainstream movement, and the desire to reduce alcohol intake is at an all-time high with research  half of UK adults (49%) either don’t drink any alcohol or are planning to cut down soon.

The breadth and quality of the category is also growing to meet consumer demand with Nielsen data showing that the no and low ABV sector has grown an impressive 506% since 2015, while IWSR, a leading source of data and intelligence on the alcoholic beverage market, predicts that sales of no and low category will increase in volume by 31% by 2024.

One brand that has seen the impact of this demand is McGuigan’s no-alcohol wine brand,  McGuigan Zero, the No.1 branded no alcohol still wine in the UK. By using the latest spinning cone technology and working at low temperatures to gently remove alcohol after the fermentation process, McGuigan has created a high-quality no-alcohol wine that maintains its delicate fruit flavours.

Julian Dyer, Chief Operating Officer (UK and Europe) for McGuigan’s parent company Australian Vintage Limited (AVL), said: “We’re witnessing a huge shift globally towards alcohol free drinks. Since the pandemic, the category has increasingly moved into the public’s consciousness, bringing with it a greater expectation for range, choice and availability. McGuigan Zero has been an incredible success story for the category by providing the quality and variety that consumers are looking for.”

Beyond a need for health and wellness, the way in which consumers spend their time has led to a change in drinking behaviours. Since the pandemic, more people are opting for a ‘night in’ but are still looking for an adult drink that provides the same experience that comes with drinking alcohol, such as a high quality, no-alcohol wine that can be paired with food or enjoyed leisurely.

For too long the category stood stagnant, with drinks notorious for their bad taste and high sugar content. McGuigan Zero was able to meet a rising demand for a premium no-alcohol product that does not compromise on flavour. It also offers an extensive range to mirror the usual choices customers would expect from alcoholic wines, with five high-quality Zero wines to choose from, including a Shiraz, Chardonnay, Sparkling, Rosé and Sauvignon Blanc.

Growth in Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, McGuigan Zero has enjoyed year on year growth of 249% on the back of widespread distribution across more than 500 stores.

Craigavon-based distributor United Wines (UW) has been working with the McGuigan brand in Northern Ireland, which is one of the world’s largest consumers of McGuigan Black Label.  Since 2008, UW has supplied more than 2.5 million cases of McGuigan wines into the Northern Ireland marketplace.

“As McGuigan’s dedicated agent in Northern Ireland, we’ve enjoyed a long-standing partnership with the brand and its market leading products,” said United Wines Managing Director Martin McAuley.

“The McGuigan brand has become synonymous with innovation.  They spotted the trend for no and low alcohol products very early and created McGuigan Zero using the latest wine-making technology to remove the majority of the alcohol without impacting on the taste.  We look forward to even more new products as we head into 2022.

“No and low alcohol drink sales are going from strength to strength as Northern Ireland becomes more health-conscious and consumers adopt a ‘mindful drinking’ approach,” continued Martin.

“Working in tandem with our parent company Heineken has allowed us to grow a category that is of great interest to the Northern Ireland consumer. Enter most shops now and you will find a Zero Zone or shelving dedicated to no alcohol wine, beers and spirits. We are proud to be able to offer that choice to our consumers and retailers alike.”

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The partnership will see Craigavon-based United Wines handle all distribution for the whiskey through its extensive on- and off-trade customer base in Northern Ireland and the Republic – including more than 1,000 bars, restaurants, hotels, off licenses, cash & carries, regional wholesalers and national multiples.

“To say we are excited to have secured the exclusive distribution rights for Titanic Distillers Premium Irish Whiskey is an understatement,” said United Wines managing director Martin McAuley.

“To secure such a premium brand as Titanic Distillers is a real coup.  The whiskey itself is second to none but the plans that the company has for a distillery on the very site where the Titanic was built, gives the brand a uniqueness and an authenticity that is impossible to recreate.

“Irish Whiskey is the fastest growing spirits category of the last 10 years with sales expected to double in the next 20 years.  We’re really looking forward to working together with Titanic Distillers to promote this truly unique brand and product.”

This year promises to be a massive one for Titanic Distillers. having already secured one of the most globally recognised brand names on the planet, it has also submitted plans to convert the historic Titanic Pump-House and Thompson Dock into a new distillery and world class tourist attraction.

Titanic Distillers commercial director Stephen Symington said:  “We’re delighted to team up with United Wines as we launch Titanic Distillers Premium Irish Whiskey into the Irish market.

‘Great distilling tradition’

“We’re very aware that, in Titanic Distillers, we have a big responsibility as custodians of a huge historic global brand that is synonymous with Belfast – so we have laboured long and hard to develop and create a premium Irish Whiskey brand of which Belfast and Northern Ireland can be very proud.

“In the days before Prohibition, Belfast was once the largest producer of Irish Whiskey on the island of Ireland. We want to revive this great distilling tradition and bring Belfast back to the forefront of Irish Whiskey production.  What better way to do that than with an authentic brand that we feel embodies the very spirit of Belfast and of the workers who built the Titanic.

“We are now collaborating with stakeholders and funders, including Invest NI, on some really exciting plans for the Titanic Pump-House and Dry Dock which will only serve to reinforce this spirit.  We look forward to sharing these plans in due course.”

Titanic Distillers Premium Irish Whiskey, which is described as ‘full and rich with a smoky hint and a lingering finish’, is already listed in many of Belfast’s best-known pubs and hotels, including Bittles Bar, The Duke of York, Dark Horse and the Hastings Hotels group.

It retails at £34.95  for a 700ml bottle.

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