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Encirc to buy The Park, announces Accolade

15 November 2022 By Sarah Neish

Drinks supply chain giant Encirc, owned by Vidrala group, has agreed to purchase The Park, a bottling and warehousing facility in Bristol.

Accolade Wines has entered into a 10-year bottling and distribution agreement with Encirc, which will further bolster the slick supply chain structure already offered by The Park.

The transformative move will combine The Park’s advanced manufacturing facility, which can produce more than 30 million 9-litre cases of wine per year, with Encirc’s impressive distribution clout to create one of the strongest supply chain services across the UK beverage market.

Robert Foye, chief executive officer for Accolade Wines, said that the decision to divest The Park had been made in order to “support the company’s growth strategy in key markets, including the UK and Europe.”

He continued: “In Encirc, we have found the perfect partner to provide the bottling, warehousing and distribution services we need to support our premiumisation strategy in the growth markets of Europe and around the world.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Encirc will acquire The Park facility and all associated plant and equipment. As part of the transaction, around 400 employees at The Park will transfer to Encirc on their existing terms of employment.

Due to complete in January 2023, the newly combined operation will continue to champion sustainability, with The Park currently running at zero waste and carbon neutral, thanks partly to the installation of its own wind turbines, which contribute to its 100% renewable electricity. Encirc is already unique in the market due to its 360 service which significantly reduces the number of lorry journeys needed to get a product onto shelves, reducing the carbon footprint of every glass bottle it makes and fills.

Encirc produces around 4 billion glass bottles and other containers a year and can fill more than 200 million litres of bulk shipped beverages annually.

Encirc managing director, Adrian Curry, said: “This deal shows how collaboration and innovation between organisations who put sustainability and planet-first operations first can lead to the realisation of a shared vision. This deal will allow us to service the UK glass beverage market with an offering that is unrivalled globally in terms of service and sustainability. We are excited to welcome our new colleagues from The Park into the Encirc family.”

Foye added: “Accolade Wines is committed to excellence across its global supply chain in terms of innovation, quality, efficiency and sustainability. The Park represents best practice across all of these criteria and, through our collaboration with Encirc with its deep experience and networks across Europe, we will be able to continue accessing all the benefits of this world-class facility while extracting additional efficiency and flexibility in our supply chain.”

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