Waverley TBS poised to be top wholesaler
Scottish Courage has confirmed plans to create the UK's number-one drinks wholesaler through the merger of its Waverley Group wines & spirits operation with The Beer Seller (TBS), the on-trade drinks wholesaler business acquired as part of the Bulmer's purchase in 2003.
The new, independently-operated company will be known as Waverley TBS and will be headed by Jeff Jamet, formerly managing director of The Beer Seller. Full integration of the two businesses is expected to take 12 months. Waverley TBS will operate as an on-trade wholesaler, a specialist wine packaging operation, and will also focus on building sales in off-trade and export markets.
Jamet said: "The combined business will offer its customers a powerful composite range of beer, cider, wine, spirits and soft drinks backed by enhanced levels of service and flexibility. "By leveraging its expertise in beer and wine brand development, Waverley TBS will be uniquely positioned to capitalise on the continued market growth in wine whilst developing niche and speciality beer brands on an exclusive basis. "We believe supplier andcustomer relationships will be strengthened significantly by the new company's enhanced capability for wine development and a one-stop shopping' proposition." He added: "The senior management team will be in place by the end of April."
Merger facts and figuresBeer Seller sells 124,000 barrels of cask beer a year, handling 2,700 different beers from 245 different brewers around the UK. Beer Seller has 16,000 customers, about 40% of whom sell cask beer. Waverley has around 8,000 customers. "Waverley has a customer base in the independent free trade that is untapped as far as Beer Seller is concerned," said Martin Breading, commercial and marketing director at Beer Seller. "It should be great news for cask ale."
