Hallgarten Wines expands team during ‘transformational year’

Wine importer Hallgarten & Novum Wines has expanded its team adding over a dozen new recruits in the past six months, db has learned.

Speaking exclusively to the drinks business, Hallgarten Wines managing director, Andrew Bewes said: “2024 is shaping up to be a transformational year for the business, with new suppliers, new customers and new faces already enhancing the way we operate.”

Bewes told db: “We are determined to ensure we can continue to go above and beyond”.

In a newly created role, William Lay has joined Hallgarten as technical manager from Buckingham Schenk and “will help streamline the business’ management of product quality, safety, legal and authenticity requirements, ensuring each product is right for the customer,” Bewes explained.

The new appointments include roles in both the head office support functions and sales teams as a means for the business to provide what Bewes refers to as “an enhanced level of service”.

Hallgarten’s brand manager, Joanna Lory who formerly worked with Indigo Wines, told db that it was “an exciting time for the company” and admitted that she “could not be happier” to have joined.

As part of the recruitment drive, four new customer service advisors have also started in Hallgarten’s head office support teams and will be tasked with streamlining the journey from customer order to delivery. These additional recruits will supplement Hallgarten’s team of 20.

Elysia Dumpleton has joined the business in a newly-created role to become the HR and payroll manager at the same time in a bid to help Hallgarten manage its rapid increase in company headcount.

Notable appointments in the sales teams include Julian Adcock, who has taken up the role of head of channel, national HoReCa, after spending the previous 22 years at Bibendum where he held positions including director of sales – national accounts and director of sales – pubs, restaurants and RTM.

Describing his move, Adcock told db that “the business feels like it is on the cusp of something extremely exciting”.

Joining the business from French wine producer, Le Grands Chais de France, Charlotte Poole has taken up a role in the off trade national accounts team. In the new position, Poole will help grow Hallgarten’s presence in the major multiple retail sector, developing long-established relationships with the businesses’ existing customer base.

Luca Rowe has joined as a regional account manager in the west of Scotland after six years with The Ivy Collection where he held roles including group head of wine and called his move “a rare opportunity” that he “just couldn’t pass up on” and hinted: “Hallgarten is on the brink of something truly exciting”.

Hallgarten’s new senior business development manager James Stoddart has moved from Famille Perrin where he previously held the position of sales director.

Speaking about the decision to jump ship, Stoddart admitted that at Hallgarten “the ambitious plans for growth excite me, offering ample opportunities for me to develop within the business”.

Two new regional account managers have also been appointed to the team with James Hearn having joined in the south-west and Andy Leathley now established in the north-west.