UK Vineyards Association in CEO search as British wines boom

By Barnaby Eales

Published: 10 December, 2015

Britain's vineyards association, the UKVA, is to appoint a CEO to navigate ways forward for the UK's burgeoning wine industry. UKVA's Chairman, Sam Lindo of Camel Valley, said the move was part of a new "dynamic strategy" involving the overhaul of the association which he said would give greater support and sales help to producers.

"We have a secretary and volunteers which is to not enough to manage the growth of the UK wine industry, which in terms of hectares planted, has doubled over the past ten years," Lindo said.

"Many producers will soon start exporting, it is a waste for everyone to export individually, so we need infrastructure in place for coordinating support and sales and being a voice for the industry to lobby government," he added.

The UKVA CEO will be expected to generate funding and organise English and Welsh wine of the Year competitions.

The UKVA's CEO will work towards establishing a strong and financially secure national body with a clear vision and strategy that unites the whole of the English and Welsh wine industry as well as lobbying for and promoting an outstanding reputation in Britain, in the European Union and in the wine trade. As part of its new strategy, the UKVA has established a 'Generic Marketing Group' with EWP, the marketing arm of English Wine Producers, whose first task, Lindo said, will be to define the 'brand' of English and Welsh wine.

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