Top 10 UK drinks millionaires

Following the publication earlier this month of The Sunday Times Rich List 2013, we have picked out some of the highest ranked individuals from the world of drinks.

While a few of these families or individuals may have made their fortunes elsewhere, all have either held, or continue to hold, a significant stake in the drinks sector. As a result, their influence has done much to shape today’s industry, not just within the UK but often far further afield.

So read on through the following pages to see the drinks retail pioneers, brand innovators and charismatic forces who have helped to create the modern landscape of the drinks industry.

10. John Rudd: £122 million

The former chairman of fine wine merchant Berry Brothers & Rudd, now aged 86, joined the company in 1948 and remains a non-executive director.

His father, Hugh Rudd, was responsible for the addition of the family name to the business when he joined as a junior partner after the First World War.

It was during his time with the company that it significantly stepped up its focus on foreign markets, led by the Cutty Sark whisky brand, which during the 1960s was selling more than 2.5m cases a year to the US.

Since then the company has maintained this focus abroad, with offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Dublin. In addition to the original shop on St James’s Street in London, BBR also has a “bin end” shop in Basingstoke.

In 2011/12 the company made a £1.3m profit on £165.3m sales.

8= Tony and Barbara Laithwaite: £125 million

Tony Laithwaite

Having started his wine business – then called Bordeaux Direct – in 1969 under a railway arch in Windsor, 67-year-old Tony Laithwaite is now chairman and owner of a company that in 2011/12 saw sales of £352.5m.

Now called Direct Wines, the business sells wine as far afield as the US, Hong Kong, India, Switzerland, Poland and Germany. Under the guise of operations including The Sunday Times Wine Club and Virgin Wines (the company also owns Bristol-based merchant Averys) Laithwaite’s business also dominates the UK’s mail order wine sector.

Profits dipped last year to £6.6m, but the company is still valued at £120m.

 8= John Apthorp £125 million

Having already made £70m from the sale of his Bejam frozen food firm, Apthorp, 78, went on to set up Majestic Wine. He retains a £45m stake in the company, which reported increased profits of £23.2m in 2011/12.

In addition to its core warehouse model business of 181 outlets around the UK, Majestic also has a fine wine arm in the form of Lay & Wheeler, which it bought in 2009, and an outlet in Calais.

As well as capitalising on the demise of several UK High Street wine retailers, including Threshers, Wine Rack and Oddbins, the company has benefited from reducing its minimum order to six bottles and now believes it has potential to expand to “at least” 330 locations in the UK.

7. Aaron and Tania Hillman: £150 million

The Hillman family owns Angus Dundee, which runs the Tomintoul and Glencadam whisky distilleries.

From these bases in Speyside and the Highlands of Scotland, the company exports blended, single malt and bulk whisky, including an own label offering, to more than 70 countries around the world.

With Aaron, 48, and Tania, 50, heading the family business, The Sunday Times calculates their fortune to have increased from £110m last year.

6. Judy Halewood & family: 185 million

The late John Halewood

Founded in 1978 by the late John Halewood, who died in 2011, Halewood International generated a £15.1m profit on £277.4m sales in 2011/12.

Valued at £150m, the Liverpool-based drinks manufacturer and distributor is now chaired by John’s widow Judy, 61.

Among the recent successes for the company has been its Crabbies Alcoholic Ginger Beer brand, which has seen various packaging and range extensions since its launch in 2009, as well as securing distribution across Australia, the US and Canada.

The company is perhaps best known as the creator of Lambrini, the lightly sparkling fruit wine drink that currently sells around 40 million bottles a year.

 5. Tim Martin: £193 million

JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin

Since he opened his first pub in 1979, JD Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin, 57, is due to reach 900 outlets by the end of 2013.

The famously outspoken Martin has been a vocal critic of the UK government’s alcohol tax policy, especially in calling for measures that would allow pubs to compete on more equal ground with supermarkets.

Wetherspoon’s pre-tax profits for the 2011/2012 were £58.9m, with Martin’s own stake in the business valued at £178m, although this is increased to £193 million to account for previous share sales and dividends.

4. Sir Douglas Myers: £448 million

Sir Douglas Myers

New Zealand-born, London-based Myers, 74, made his fortune from Australasian brewer Lion Nathan.

In addition to its beer portfolio, which includes Tooheys, XXXX and Mac’s, the company either owns or has a controlling interest in wine brands such as Petaluma, Wither Hills, St Hallett, Stonier and Knappstein.

Lion Nathan also has New Zealand distribution and marketing rights for a number of major international spirit brands, including Smirnoff, Bombay Sapphire, Johnnie Walker and Baileys.

Having joined Lion Nathan in 1965, Myers held posts as managing director, CEO and finally chairman before selling the majority of his stake in the company to Japanese brewer Kirin, which has since acquired the entire Lion Nathan business.

Myers is now a major supporter of the arts in his native New Zealand and made headlines in 2011 when he sold his superyacht for £30m to Google founder Larry Page.

3. Roger & Peter De Haan: £800 million

Peter de Haan

They may have made their millions from the £850m sale of Saga holidays in 2004, but the wine business is certainly a major focus today for Peter De Haan, 61, who is chairman of Bancroft Wines.

Having created the company from the merger of two wine merchants, De Haan has overseen the evolution of Bancroft’s business across private, trade and corporate sales.

In recent times the company has added a number of exclusive agencies, including Chateau Montelena in Napa Valley and, earlier this month, Bodegas Remirez de Ganuza in Rioja. De Haan’s current business interests also include a property company.

The De Haans also ranked highly among those who donate a significant proportion of their wealth to charity. In the last 12 months they are recorded as having given away £16m, spread across areas such as Aids, the arts, regeneration, sport and education.

2. The Earl of Iveagh and Guinness family: £850 million

Lord Iveagh

In addition to his title, Iveagh inherited £62m-worth of shares in Guinness when his father died in 1992.

A direct descendent of the Irish stout’s original creator, Arthur Guinness, the family’s involvement in the business is now restricted to its £200m stake in the brand’s current owner Diageo.

Bolstered by the growth in emerging markets, Diageo saw its share price soar by around 30% in 2012, with a 70% increase since October 2007.

In addition to the handsome returns from their share of this success, the family also owns Elveden Farms and 2,400 acres of real estate in Vancouver, as well as other assets.

1. The Grant and Gordon family: £1,400 million

2012 marked a major milestone for family-controlled William Grant & Sons, as the Scottish distiller’s turnover passed £1 billion for the first time.

Tough trading conditions and investment may have seen operating profits shrink in 2011 to £126.3m, but value growth increased ahead of volume for both the Glenfiddich and Grant’s brands. With £735m in assets, William Grant’s value is calculated at £1.3 billion.

In addition to this, the family also owns a 30% stake in Highland Distillers, which is majority controlled by Edrington and includes brands such as Famous Grouse. Factoring in the family’s other sources of wealth, The Sunday Times ranked the family 55^th in this year’s Rich List.

And finally…

George Grant of Glenfarclas whisky shows off his allegiance to another great Scottish drink

While not strictly eligible for this list, we couldn’t resist flagging up Robin Barr and family, the driving force behind one of the most (in)famous non-alcoholic drinks, Irn-Bru.

With their wealth calculated at £176m, the family holds a 25% stake in Scottish drinks manufacturer AG Barr, which last year agreed a £1.4bn merger with Britvic.

This bright orange, caffeinated product may provide a rich seam of inspiration for jokes about Scotland’s gastronomic and health record, but Irn-Bru also claims the impressive title of the country’s biggest selling soft drink – outselling even Coca Cola.

And as this image shows, even Scotland’s top whisky producers such as George Grant of Glenfarclas are not shy of promoting this national allegiance.