Cheltenham wine brand wholesaler secures £8m BGF investment

Cheltenham-based wine brand developer and distributor Off-Piste Wines has received an £8m investment from BGF.

Established in 2007 by Paul Letheren and Ant Fairbank, Off-Piste Wines has developed a portfolio of wines, divided between its own proprietary brands - such as Most Wanted and Pinot Pinot - and private-label brands for UK supermarkets and retailers.

The business sources wine from 11 different countries, and reached sales of £40m in 2018.

The investment from BGF will be used to develop the business’s long-term growth strategy, including the expansion of its wine range and new partnerships and international distribution.

Andy Fennell, former CMO and Regional President at Diageo, will be joining the board at completion as chair.

Andy Talbot, managing director of Off-Piste Wines, said: “We set up the business 13 years ago to do things differently.

“Having expert product knowledge is one thing - working closely with retailers and offering consumers wines and labels that they really want is another.

“Since then, we have developed strong, trusted partnerships with a carefully selected group of like-minded producers in our favourite regions, to bring customers an impressive selection of wine in all shapes and sizes.

“We’re delighted to be partnering with BGF for this exciting next step - having an investor with market expertise and that is also invested in our vision for the business is crucial.”

The investment was led for BGF by Alex Garfitt, Edwin Davies, James Skade and Hannah Waters.

Alex Garfitt, an investor at BGF who will join the board of Off-Piste Wines, added: “We’re looking forward to working with Andy, Paul, Ant and the team to take the business to the next level, exploring new products, markets and partnerships…”