Enomatic: the debate

Last week’s comment on the rise of the Enomatic and its role in driving the by-the-glass trend provoked an energetic response.

As a result, we felt it merited a second instalment to throw into the ring some of the additional issues and alternatives for on-trade operators keen to boost sales.

Paul Fenner, managing director of The Waiter’s Friend Company, highlighted “the much quicker profit returns that wine-by-the-glass led sales offer; namely from Champagne and sparkling wine promotions.” In this area, he finds the Enomatic solution wanting.

“By all accounts Enomatic is an excellent system, and I wish Mr Sheedy fair winds in the prevailing economic climate. But surely, capital investment at this level which still does nothing for Champagne by-the-glass sales, is ultimately destined for the gilded few high-end establishments where margins and cash flow can support the cost?”

While the impressive growth of these Enomatic systems presents a fair challenge to the claim that this system is accessible to only a small, capital-rich elite, the point stands that the Enomatic fails to serve one of the most important by-the-glass categories.

In response to this criticism, David Sheedy, sales director for Enotrade, said: “It is currently correct to say that we cannot accommodate sparkling wines and Champagne on the Enomatic system, but we expect to have a system for sparkling wines in 2010. This project is one that has taken some time to complete due to the high bottle pressures involved, and also due to the need to ensure that the refrigeration units can achieve the temperatures required for sparkling wines of all types.”

Those looking to offer a serious vehicle for spirit sales may also be interested to learn that, from early next year, Enomatic will be launching its “North Pole” system. Sheedy explains this has been “designed specifically to maintain products such as vodka, sake, and Limoncello, at a temperature of -5°C and which will of real interest to bars and nightclubs, as well restaurants and hotels”

In the meantime, those with a tight budget or particular interest in promoting their sparkling wines by the glass may well wish to consider Fenner’s own wine preservation system. Outlining its virtues, he plugs: “At only £299 including VAT, our portable, maintenance-free PresorVac system, doesn’t need a bank loan to finance its purchase.

Since it also preserves sparkling wines as well as still, it offers the trade an almost overnight return on investment, eliminating wastage and, in the words of the expert judges at Hakkasan, ‘a good value solution for small to medium-sized, organised operation where wines plays a strong supporting role.’”

Clearly, the lower cost of this option brings it within reach of a far wider sector of the on-trade, which can only be a good thing for the quality and range of wine served in the UK’s bars. However, it lacks the visibility impact of the Enomatic, which should not be under-estimated.

Undoubtedly, the Enomatic offers a real talking point for a bar and, whatever the actual quality of the juice inside the machine, creates an impression among consumers that this is a place which takes its wine seriously. Handled in the right way, this technology can give a venue the edge over its local competitors and, once these customers are through the door, they are likely to spend more than would otherwise be the case.

Despite some holes in its current armoury, the march of the Enomatic seems likely to continue, to the benefit of wine lovers and, hopefully, those on-trade business who decide to invest. However, Fenner’s comments highlight the presence and attributes of other options out there, which may prove a more suitable, lower risk solution for many businesses. Indeed, for large chains selling branded favourites, a smaller, cheaper piece of kit which ensures these wines taste as the winemaker intended is probably as far as they need to go.

The potential benefits of these preservation systems are not limited to the manufacturer and individual venue. Fenner concludes: “Wine Suppliers should be falling over themselves to offer these lower cost almost instant profit solutions to their bread and butter customers.”

Gabriel Savage, 01.09.09