Hampshire-based Watermill Wines is meeting the challenge of the changing landscape, making the case for sustainability and supporting clients as the industry changes.
Established in 2012, Watermill Wines has made its mark in the UK for its highly customer-focused offering and industry-leading combination of accreditations. According to Richard Dennis, the agency's commercial director, the Watermill Wines team is proud of its extensive experience in the sector, driven by a highly strategic network of motivated producers.
Dennis shares his thoughts on what sets the agency apart: "We have a rigorous channel focus, which has moulded our offering to be highly attuned to our customers' needs. We’re highly accredited and the only agent in the UK to have
B Corp, International Food Standards (IFS), British Retail Consortium (BRC), and organic certifications."
"Sustainability is now an essential aspect of our business, and we’re proud to be one of just twelve wine and drinks companies in the UK certified as a B Corp. The bigger picture for us is how we can apply the learnings and systemic changes in our operations to our entire producer base. We’re already incredibly impressed by what our producers are doing in terms of energy production and usage, community contributions and environmental initiatives."
For Watermill Wines, offering sustainably made wines has been a more than a 20-year-long journey of commitment, as Dennis explains: "With the growing focus on sustainability in wine, we’re incredibly proud of how our brand Terra Organica, which was established more than 20 years ago, is engaging with consumers on a meaningful level. We’re on a mission to prove that organic, vegan, and sustainably made wines are not only the true future of winemaking but can also lead the way in terms of quality and expression."
The
Terra Organica range includes organic DOC Prosecco and Prosecco Rosé from Casa Vinicola Botter; organic Malbec made in Mendoza by Santa Julia of Familia Zuccardi; organic DOC Grillo produced in Sicily by Cantina Ottoventi; and the newest addition to its Parcel Series – an organic Grüner Veltliner from Weingut Huber.
"Being a highly customer-oriented business, it’s always important to not only be reacting to changing consumer needs, but also shaping future needs and trends," Dennis continues. "We’re speaking to our producers on a very regular basis, and the discussions are always
refreshingly two-way: producers trust us to come to us first with innovation, and then we look at how we can best adapt it to the UK market needs. Our job is to find the sweet spot that works from all points of view."
Watermill Wines remains committed to its mission as it navigates industry challenges influenced by shifting consumer interests and national and international events.
Dennis reflects on the terrain of the past two years: "The changes in UK duty have been the most recent challenge. What initially concerned us was how the new duty tariff structure could have influenced winemaking, whereby the retailers look to maintain margins by holding retails, and reducing ABVs. But we’ve been impressed by the mature approaches retailers are taking to own-label ranges, by simply not compromising on quality or expression. We’ve gone through extensive tasting and testing and there were very few examples of where it was right to adjust ABVs.”
As a testament to Watermill Wines' success, Dennis highlights the importance of a dedicated team: "Combined with the recent success in certifications, we must commend our team. We’re a lean company, but we have incredible determination and passion for what we do, along with extensive experience. The team have really pulled together to deliver exceptional results, and we’re very proud of them."
Watermill Wines is preparing for future announcements of 'seriously exciting news,' with more details to be revealed soon.
