John Colley: ‘Looking Back, Forging Ahead’

By Harpers Editorial team

Published: 26 August, 2026

Majestic Wine Group‘s executive chairman and CEO talks about ‘controlling the controllables’, the need for government to listen and his fondness for Nebiollo and opera, along with salted caramel ice cream.

How has business been for you in the first half of 2026 and how do things compare to where you were last year?

It's been robust so far. Clearly headwinds remain in our sector, but we’ve deliberately built a Group across retail, B2B and hospitality that can withstand these sorts of challenges. Our sales have been pretty resilient across the board and we’re continuing to invest significantly in our growth plan. We’ve got more Majestic stores and active customers than we had this time last year, we’ve got more Vagabond bars than we had this time last year, and we’re winning more new business at Enotria and Majestic Commercial than we were this time last year. All of that leaves us really well-placed as we head towards our peak trading period and we’re quietly confident of delivering another record-breaking Christmas.

What are you most proud of achieving this year in terms of driving the business forward?

I’m immensely proud of the way our colleagues have embraced the change we’re driving through the business with such passion and positivity. There’s been an awful lot going on behind the scenes to deliver some of the Group synergy benefits in areas like buying, supply chain, finance, people – and our teams have really gone above and beyond to make those things happen.

One of the highlights for me from that hard work was probably the partnership with Catena Zapata, which we launched at the start of the year. It’s such an iconic brand, and one that is synonymous with Argentinian wine, so to be able to secure that exclusive agency through Enotria was a testament not just to the dedication of the team there, but from colleagues across the Group who came together to make that happen.

What have been the biggest challenges so far this year and how have you sought to circumvent those?

The biggest challenges are the ones you see in the headlines every day – rising cost of goods, increasing taxes, surging prices of fuel and freight. Trying to absorb and offset as many of those costs as possible and deliver the best possible proposition at the most competitive prices for our customers is our number one priority, but also our biggest headache at times.

We talk a lot at Majestic about controlling the controllables, and that’s ultimately all we can do. We’re absolutely laser-focused on delivering for all of our customers across retail, B2B and hospitality every single day, and pursuing the right opportunities to improve that proposition further – whether that’s through new suppliers, new stores, new bars or new ways of reaching customers like our wine club collaboration with Saturday Kitchen.

Looking ahead to the second half of the year, what do you have in the pipeline?

We have so much to look forward to in the second half of the year. We’ve just launched a new Vagabond website and we’re really excited to be opening a new Vagabond bar in Brighton in the late autumn, which will be only our second outside of London. Brighton has been a key target location for us as we look to take the Vagabond brand into major towns and cities across the UK, and the reception from the media and the local community has already been great so we can’t wait for that to open. We’re also planning to launch at least two more Majestic stores before Christmas, a brand new customer app that we’ll be rolling out in the coming months, and of course plenty of excellent new wines that will be on our shelves in time for the festive season, too.

What significant or emerging trends are you seeing in the drinks’ world that are likely to have an impact on the future nature of trade?

The trend of consumers drinking less but better quality is something we continue to see. It’s not a new trend, but I think it’s one that will gain more traction in the coming years and have an even bigger influence on the ranges we curate for our customers.

The other major shift that I think will start to come through at a greater pace is around alternative packaging formats. We’re working with a lot of producer partners on things like lighter-weight bottles, bag-in-box, canned wines and ready-to-drink cocktails in glass bottles. There’s been quite a bit of tinkering around the edges for a while on some of these things, but I think we’re on the cusp of seeing these new packaging methods become much more accepted and mainstream in the UK as sustainability and convenience drive purchasing decisions.

From government, consumers, or the trade itself, what change(s) would you most like to see to help your business and others to thrive?

Well, we have another new Prime Minister, who has made a few positive noises about some potential help for hospitality and the high street. That’s a good sign, but the proof will be in the pudding – we have a Budget date of 28 October, so we wait with interest to see what is announced then.

What the trade really needs now is a government that genuinely engages, listens and takes positive, helpful actions that drive economic growth. I think there needs to be a better understanding of the cost and administrative burden that has been put on businesses by their policy changes – that’s everything from alcohol duty and EPR to business rates and National Insurance. There’s also growing unemployment in workers under the age of 21 and the retail and hospitality sectors are where so many of the younger generation start their careers.

We have a unique perspective as a Group across retail, B2B and hospitality, with a genuine end-to-end view of the industry, so we would welcome the opportunity to share some of our insights with the government and work collaboratively with them on their plans to drive growth.

What fills you with joy and optimism about the drinks world?

It always comes down to the ongoing passion, expertise and sheer love of the product that I see from my colleagues every day, and the producers we work with around the world. Their love of wine and their relentless energy to innovate and craft something new and exciting for customers never stops. All of our businesses across the Group are united by a mission to help customers discover new wines that they will love, so when you see first-hand the continued innovation and passion going on right across the market, you can’t help but feel excited and optimistic about the future.

Quick fire questions…

Burgundy or Bordeaux?

Burgundy

Germany or Greece?

Greece

Pet nat or prosecco?

Prosecco

A bottle or by the glass?

A bottle – unless I am in a Vagabond!

Whisky, rum, gin or tequila/mezcal (for sipping)?

Tequila

Go-to cocktail?