North launches online French wine retailer

Tim North, who headed up the UK arm of French importer Les Grands Chais de France for 17 years, has launched his own online wine retail business, specialising in French wines.

Joie de Vin specialises in French wine (Photo: Facebook)

North has founded Joie de Vin to supply ‘interesting’ French wines direct from the producer to consumers across the UK.

He has sourced a range of wines from smaller producers – many of whom only produce around 2,000 bottles – which are available nationally. Although he is concentrating on supplying wines direct to the consumer, he said he had not ruled out supplying restaurants at wholesale if there was demand.

“I feel online as a route to market as a supply route as much as a standalone wine operation,” he said. “It is a huge change from what was doing before and I’m thoroughly enjoying it. There is a real interest for those different kinds of wine, and when you get in front of the right sort of audience – we are concentrating on getting in front of people [at shows and fairs and getting them] tasting. “

He told the drinks business mainstream supermarket ranges were increasingly failing to cater for the increased interest in “more interesting” French wines, due to the contraction of their ranges.

“With French wine, there is such a big array of products, but the ranges available through mainstream are becoming smaller and smaller, so there is a real opportunity,” he told db.

“Although a lot of people want branded French wines, others want bespoke artisan produced wines, and when you speak to people who are into wine at wine shows and fairs, there is a real interest in more interesting types of wine. As people find it more difficult to buy [them] in more mainstream outlets, there is a real opportunity to set up a business that finds small and finds routes to market – so that’s what I set out to do.

Pior to joining Les Grands Chais de France he spent two years as marketing director at First Drinks and seven in various marketing roles at Grants of St James and Matthew Clark.

Last month Les Grands Chais de France appointed Mark Kears as the group’s new managing director for UK and Ireland.

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