Local Wine Merchant Experiencing Strong Growth
Scarlet Wines, a specialist wine merchant based in Lelant, has experienced a remarkable period of growth in trade sales – with a surge in new customers and listings.
The independent wholesaler has been gradually developing its market share since it launched in 2010 alongside a popular cafe, deli and wine shop which enjoy easy access from the A30.
Owner Jon Keast, who has a diploma from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust and is a passionate student of classic and unusual wines and spirits from all over the world, has developed a unique portfolio of drinks for the hospitality industry.
Buoyed by a great start to the year, he commented: “We are thrilled to have picked up several new accounts recently, and have also secured more listings with many restaurants and hotels that we were already supplying.”
Jon puts this success down to an expanded range and the personal level of service he is able to offer by focusing on West Cornwall.
He explained: “We now have a really strong range across the board – including great value house wines, wines full of character from up-and-coming regions, organic and biodynamic wines, and classic wines from iconic producers.”
Jon supplies the wider St Ives and Penzance areas, and supports his customers with regular deliveries, staff training and by taking part in wine dinners and tasting events.
He said: “The advantage of using a small but agile local supplier is that we can respond quickly to stock issues at busy times, and businesses do not have to store large volumes because we deliver regularly. We also help the local hospitality industry develop staff skills through training, and can help improve the customer experience through suggested wine matches.”
Not surprisingly, the food offering at Scarlet Wines – The Vineyard Table – is one of the best places to enjoy wine alongside food; the Mediterranean is the focus for the menu, which naturally lends itself to some bold and beautiful wine pairings.
The cafe is also enjoying a strong start to the year; turnover is 20% up on the best year to date and both Scarlet Wines and The Vineyard Table look set to have an extremely busy season.
For the latest updates and events, follow https://www.facebook.com/scarletwines/ on Facebook or @scarletwines on Twitter.