Matthew Clark believes future secure

Published: 14 July, 2011

On-trade supplier Matthew Clark's commercial director believes the business is secure despite upheavals at owners Punch Taverns and Accolade Wines.

On-trade supplier Matthew Clark's commercial director believes the business is secure despite upheavals at owners Punch Taverns and Accolade Wines.

Matthew Clark is jointly owned by Punch Taverns, currently going through a demerger, and Accolade Wines, which has just been bought by a private equity company, giving rise to concerns over the supplier's future.

But Ian Smith, commercial director, said that given the firms' own upheavals, he didn't believe they were "minded to spend a lot of time thinking about us". He said neither party was "in a position to make changes", adding that it was "very comfortable with them now".

The company has met its budgets for the last three years, and Smith said if either "did want to look at an exit, they will have a very strong business to sell".

The supplier has just updated its wine list - changing 15% of its 1,237-strong range. The group has also switched its wines from a price-ordered list to one grouped by producers/suppliers. Smith said he wanted to encourage customers away from thinking just about price after noticing a lot of them simply opted for the cheapest wines.

For more on Matthew Clark, read this week's magazine, out on July 15.

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