Moët Hennessy UK is to increase the focus on its still wine range in the UK.

The company sees the UK off-trade in particular as a huge opportunity as consumers continue to move to home drinking, brand director Louise Pilkington said.

The French luxury brands house, which owns Moët & Chandon and Krug Champagne, Hennessy Cognac and Belvedere vodka, also has a range of super-premium world wines including the New Zealand brand Cloudy Bay and the Argentinean Terrazas de los Andes label.

MHUK saw the UK off-trade as "very dynamic" especially for super-premium, said Pilkington. "Consumers will often use experts in the off-trade, particularly specialists, to ask advice before trying new wines. As their confidence increases, their appetite for trying new better quality wines increases and the off-trade is key to driving this."

MHUK markets the wines under The Estates and Wines Collection umbrella brand in a bid to drive trial.

Parent company LVMH bought Spanish winery, Bodega Numanthia Termes, in February and the company is looking to more acquisitions to expand the still wine portfolio, insiders say.

Rival Champagne house Pol Roger is also looking to increase the emphasis on its portfolio of drinks outside Champagne in the UK. New marketing director Charles Hamer is to boost the profile of brands such as Chilean winery Cousiño-Macul and Glenfarclas whisky.

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