If you’re a wine producer looking to enter the UK market for the first time, we can help you to establish and maintain profitable distribution in the UK. We publish Knowledge Bank Guides to UK market entry and Setting up UK distribution.
We can also help you to:
- negotiate and draft contracts that will protect your interests and maximise your returns from exporting to the UK – whether it’s an agency, distribution, bulk bottling or direct supply agreement that you need, or a combination of these. See contract – producer’s perspective
- review your existing contracts, assess risks and exposures, and identify opportunities to improve your position – see reviewing existing contracts.
We also publish a free Guide to UK Wine Agency and Distribution Agreements, designed to help producers navigate what can be a very complex area, decide whether they think a written agency or distribution agreement is necessary and, if so, to compile a wish list of the essential terms to be included. It also includes advice on how to approach negotiation of the contract. Click here to request a copy of the Guide. We’ll email you a link to download your copy. If you aren’t already on it, you will automatically be added to our e-mailing list for News updates.
Examples of recent work
- UK market entry – A producer wanted to “dip its toe” into the UK market for the first time, but was unsure how to go about it. We advised on possible approaches and how to find a suitable agent/distributor. We then helped the producer to negotiate some key changes to the contract put forward by the proposed agent.
- Agency and distribution contracts – An expanding producer had an unsatisfactory mish-mash of agency and distribution agreements in place in various EU countries. We created a single English-language agency/distribution contract template for use throughout the EU. Over time, this will enable the producer to build up essential contractual protections in a consistent way, and ensure that all disputes and problems are resolved on the producer’s home soil.
- Negotiating contracts with multiple distributors – A producer wanted to appoint a new UK distributor for its premium branded products, but to retain its existing distributor for its other products. We helped the producer to negotiate agreement with the existing distributor without triggering a termination. We then drafted two new contracts to enable the two distributorships to run side-by-side.
- Contract negotiation – Advising a producer who had tried to agree a written distribution contract, but without success. He was doing business with an importer, nevertheless, and wanted to know where he stood. We advised on his legal position in this situation, and on key protections he should consider trying to negotiate.
- Agreements to supply the major UK supermarkets – Advising a number of producers on the terms of supply agreements for direct sales to major UK retailers, and on training, systems and procedures under the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP).
- Bulk bottling contracts – Reviewing and revising contracts for wine shipped to the UK in bulk to be bottled by contract bottlers in the UK.
- Selling wine online – Advising on both the legal requirements, and the commercial and logistical practicalities, of offering wine for sale online directly to consumers in the UK and elswhere. Drafting website terms of sale and other documents and procedures necessary for regulatory compliance.
Other services for Wine Producers