Virgin Wines is celebrating the launch of its new website and IT platform – the culmination of a two-year project – and the company said it is now ready to offer customers a more personal service.  Co-owner and chief executive Jay Wright told DRN: “Fortunately it has all gone extremely smoothly when you consider the size of the job even just to…

Brewdog’s new sour beer facility is set to open its doors by the end of July. The unit, which will “major in everything that makes wild yeast and bacteria incredible”, is currently under construction with the shell of the building complete, and the mezzanine level and lab area “starting to take shape”, according to Brewdog’s new ‘guru of sour’ Richard Kilcullen. In a blog post,…

Hooper’s is entering the growing RTS (ready to serve) can market with its most popular flavour, Dandelion & Burdock. The traditional British drinks brand, which is owned by Global Brands, will now offer its key flavour in a canned format. RTS cans is the fastest growing format in the RTD (ready to drink) category, according to Global Brands. The canned format has grown by £9.4m…

Office worker Graham Nelson first tried making beer a year ago, but today the beer he originally crafted in his kitchen went on sale at Waitrose. The 39-year-old won a competition organised by the retailer and Derbyshire brewer Thornbridge to find the nation’s best home brew. They received more than 200 entries but a panel of experts decided Nelson’s Vienna IPA was the best of…

Costcutter owner Bibby Line Group could be ready to jettison its loss-making Rhythm & Booze off- licence chain to focus on its core convenience business. The company bought R&B in a pre-pack administration just two years ago but the formation of last year’s Buyco joint venture with Mace retailer and wholesaler Palmer & Harvey has left the off-licence group down the pecking order. Trade rumours…