C&B aiming for HK on-trade

Creating a stronger foot-hold in the Hong Kong on-trade is just one aim for Corney & Barrow’s new general manager, Thibaut Mathieu.

Speaking to the drinks business at the merchant’s offices earlier this week, Mathieu said that C&B was keen to “build its on-trade business” and he hoped to replicate the success the company has so far had in London with its exclusive wines.

“Sommeliers want differentiation,” he said. “They want wines they can’t find elsewhere. We sell our wines to our private clients and can offer them to sommeliers as well.”

Although C&B doesn’t have the exclusivity on Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Pétrus as has in the UK (now sharing some of the rights on Pétrus with Berry Bros & Rudd, Maisons Marques & Domaines and Justerini & Brooks), it still has an impressive line-up of exclusives for Asia.

These include the Brunellos from Soldera for which the merchant is the sole Asian importer; it also has the exclusivity on Pingus in Hong Kong and Thailand, Domaine Leflaive in Singapore and Thailand, Domaine Marquis d’Angerville in Singapore and Tertre Rôteboeuf in Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand.

It’s these wines – among others – which Mathieu is keen to use to bolster what has, until now, been an area the merchant has had little dealings with.

“Hong Kong is private customers,” he said, “but there are plenty of other opportunities because of the fantastic producers we have exclusive to us.”

A veteran of Hong Kong and Macau where he has spent some 12 years, lately with ASC where he was head of business development and then general manager, Mathieu added he was keen to “broaden my horizons” by doing business in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

On the subject of merchants and other wine trade bodies seemingly expanding their horizons to other markets in Asia besides China – especially back to Japan – he commented: “There was a lot of activity in China in the last seven to 10 years but they (producers and other companies) have always been dealing with the other countries.

“China, Macau and Hong Kong visits were always one leg of the journey. They were always visiting Japan, Singapore or Vietnam or going there afterwards.

“Most of the producers are still very keen to work in China.”