Virgin Wines ramps up focus on home wine tastings as sales rocket

By Gemma McKenna

Published: 21 October, 2014

Virgin Wines is turning the spotlight onto home wine tasting parties by adding new recruits and rebranding from Fabulous Wines to Wines at Mine after seeing sales grow 54% in the past year.

The retailer's Wines at Mine operates in a similar way to Tupperware parties, in that sales advisors host parties - this time based around wines - in their own homes.

Given how successful this side of the business has been, the retailer is now looking to recruit more independent advisors in the next three months, in order to expand the programme's reach across the country.

Advisors are not required to have experience, just an interest in wine. They make commission on sales and do not have targets or minimum sales amounts to be reached, the company says.

At each event, eight wines are tasted at a time, priced from £6.49 to £9.99 a bottle, mixing bestsellers with some often unfamiliar wines. Event goers can make up cases to their liking and place orders on the night, taking advantage of special offers.

Virgin Wines' head of events, Jessica Parker, said: "Our home wine tasting events have proved hugely popular since the initial launch in 2012. It's unique in the fact that it's appealing to both men and women as an aspirational product enjoyed by all. For party hosts, it's an exciting new way to experience and buy wine with friends in the comfort of their own homes. For our advisors, which currently number 55, of which 30% are men, they love the excitement and financial freedom of running their own business, whilst doing something they enjoy.

But, she says a re-brand was necessary to make the firm's offer clearer from the outset.

"Wines at Mine is the perfect business for people keen to be their own boss, but perhaps without an entrepreneurial background - our advisors have the reassurance of quality products from a well-established brand without the risks of going it alone."

Virgin Wines says its Wine at Mine advisors earn an average of £640 per month based on hosting two parties a week, "in addition to wine discounts, vouchers, bonuses and career progression opportunities". Its current network of advisors reaches from Yorkshire to Surrey.

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