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Tom Platt: Liberty’s performance has been resilient

“It's impressive how resilient it's been,” explained Platt. “There is so much, political uncertainty, the impact of global events – lots of things completely outside of our control. But on the back of some really strong customer wins last year, we're seeing the benefit of that flow through this year.”

Both Liberty’s on- and off-trade sales channels have seen double digit growth compared to 2025. Platt said that wine volume sales in the UK market are in “structural decline” with the importer “completely focused on bringing premium wines where there's value”.

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This wider context Platt reflected on is seen in HMRC data compiled by DEFRA. Both volume and value wine imports fell 6% and 5% respectively, when comparing 2025 to 2024. However, the price per litre of these imports rose slightly from £3.08 to £3.12.

Driving the business forward does not need a reinvention of the wheel, believes the CEO: “We’re looking how we improve the one percents in different places. Liberty does not need a revolution; it just needs to continually improve.”

Enhancing customer service is a point of emphasis for Liberty. Working with customers both new and established to “overcome whatever is in front of them”. Challenges include higher costs businesses face but also unpredictable trading.

“How can we make sure that we can get them stock on a Wednesday because they've just had a really busy Tuesday. It’s about having that flexibility rather than saying they will get stock on a certain day because that’s what we agreed – it’s about adapting with them to what’s needed,” said Platt.

Changes afoot

In his fifth year as CEO of the importer Platt feels he has built a “strength and depth” in terms of his team that he is satisfied with.

In an effort to enhance efficiencies Liberty’s Clapham HQ has undergone a recent refurb. “We've got sales sat closely to marketing, to buying, to the events team, so that again we're working quickly through solutions for customer”.

The business has also created an ‘operations hub’ – having customer service, warehouse, and distribution teams all working side by side.

Investment in the company’s Basingstoke bonded warehouse which opened in 2023 is now reaping rewards too.

“That means we control all our service rather than relying on more third parties – that allows us to innovate,” said Platt. “It allows us to innovate with the service we're offering to certain customers, with the stock we hold. And it puts us firmly in control of everything that we are trying to do.”

Platt joked that bringing storage operations in-house has removed some excuses if things don’t go to plan, but added that the control it gives the business is vital.

Solar panels now sit atop both Liberty’s Clapham office and Basingstoke warehouse – 50% of the company’s power needs now being drawn from this energy generation. The next step said Platt, is securing batteries to store excess solar energy at the warehouse to then use during less sunny hours.

Groupaging imported stock has been a sustainability target also. Around 90% of Liberty’s Italian wine comes by rail, with Liberty groupaging it in northern Italy before transport. The same strategy is used for wine coming from Spain, where it gets groupaged before being shipped by boat from the north of Spain.

Like many sustainability measures there is a clear business case for these approaches too – reducing energy and transport costs at a time when both are spiking.

Portfolio updates

Seven Spanish producers have been added in the past year to Liberty’s offer, with sales up 8% for the overall category over this period. Platt added that 21 Spanish producers have been introduced since 2021. A clear source of value and quality for the distributor.

Unsurprisingly for Liberty, Italy remains a core part of the portfolio. Two new producers are set to join the importer bringing the tally up to 99. Campagna’s Quintodecimo made by Luigi Moio – winemaker and well-respected oenology professor – making wines with the indigenous Alianico, Fiano, Falanghina and Greco.

The other is Bella-Colonna from Sicily’s Etna, led by winemaker Macro de Grazia..

“These are organic single vineyard wines. And lots of these are on vineyards, 650 to 900 metres above sea from grapes like Nerello Mascalese, and Carricante,” said Platt. “These are the kind of wines which are just so perfect for great premium wine restaurant lists, for independent shops, with great stories too.”

30th anniversary

Plans for next year’s 30th anniversary are under wraps for now. The company has grown significantly since then, from 4 people and 40 producers in 1997 to 250 people and over 400 producers today.

Within the 1997 list that Liberty began with, over a dozen remain on the portfolio today. Looking at these producers, over the past thirty years Platt commented that “the improvements they've made in their vineyards and what they're doing to make wines is incredibly inspiring”.

“I think there's lots of things that we were focused on at the beginning when David and Luciann started Liberty – our service being equal or better to the quality of wines we were selling or the customers we were supplying – and that is the same today,” Platt concluded.

Liberty’s Autumn Portfolio Tasting takes place tomorrow, Tuesday 15 September at the Kia Oval, London from 10am to 5.30pm.

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