London gets tasting just for independents

London is to get a new tasting in March this year featuring wines and spirits guaranteed not to be in multiple retailers or national wholesalers.

Danny Cameron has been involved with the launch of SITT, the BFT and now Independent Buyers’ Day

Called Independent Buyers’ Day, every product at the event has been specially selected for independent traders in the on- and off-trade, according to the tasting founder, Danny Cameron.

Cameron, who founded the Specialist Importers Trade Tasting (SITT) in 2005, and is currently managing director of the BFT (The Big Fortified Tasting), told the drinks business yesterday that he wanted to create a show that was “absolutely focused on independent buying rather than group buying”.

Consequently, he said that he was “making sure that everything in the room was not in mass distribution”, adding, “that is guaranteed”.

Explaining further this approach, he told db, “As an independent buyer you walk into an event, find something you like, and then you spend the next five minutes asking if it is in a supermarket or national wholesaler before you decide to buy.

“This is an event where you don’t have to do that so everything is potentially relevant,” he added.

He also said that the tasting was limited in size “so the visitor can get round the room in one day,” while noting that wines, spirits and a selection of beers would feature “to maximise someone’s use of time”.

In particular, he noted that there would be seven exhibitors of “specialist spirits” because this is “a growing revenue area for independent restaurants and merchants”.

The logo for the new tasting

Wines and spirits will be kept separate, while the tasting will include a single beer exhibitor, which will show 16 products.

In total, Cameron said around 300 wines will feature, along with 80 spirits at the event, which is being held on 13 March between 10am and 5pm at the London Scottish Regiment Headquarters on Horseferry Road.

Cameron is working with Ben Campbell-Johnston on the new event. The pair have worked together on the BFT, while Campbell-Johnston founded and managed FIZZ, the sparkling wine show which held its inaugural event last year.

Summing up his aim for the tasting, Cameron commented, “Hopefully this will be a useful fixture in the calendar in the years to come, and if it achieves that, then it has done its job properly.”

Confirmed exhibitors are ABS, Astrum Wine Cellars, Burridges of Arlington Street, Clark Foyster, Ehrmanns, Emporia Brands, Gonzalez Byass, Gusbourne Estate, H2Vin, Hallgarten Druitt, Hallowed Ground, Hatch Mansfield, Las Bodegas, Louis Latour Agencies, Love Drinks, Malus Hungarian Food & Wine, Marblehead, Mangrove UK, Maverick Drinks, McKinley Vintners, Pol Roger Portfolio, Raymond Reynolds, Rhone to Rioja, Roberson Wine, Speciality Brands and Vintage Roots.