Dec 07: Apparently flush with funds raised from crowdfunding and a new partner Kingsland Drinks, The Soul Tree of London has re-launched the label with a fresh category of Indian wines imported in bulk to be bottled there in UK, reducing in freight charges and carbon footprints and putting India on the map as a bulk wine producer, writes Subhash Arora who has just returned from the Wold Bulk Wine Exhibition in Amsterdam and is amused that instead of becoming an importer of bulk wine for private labels, it has officially become an exporter
Developed for on-line trade to meet the house wine price point on Indian restaurant wine lists and meeting the challenge of spicy dishes, the new wines from Soul Tree join a portfolio that includes Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé and Cabernet Sauvignon, according to a Report.
“The Soul Tree range represents the very first Indian wine in our portfolio and a fresh segment for the category. India is now officially on the map as a bulk wine producer, and we’re excited to lead the way by bringing Soul Tree wines in bulk directly to the UK on-trade,” said Adam Marshall, buying controller at Kingsland Drinks wine and spirits distributing company which is partnering with Soul Tree for the project.
The Soul Tree was launched in 2011 by Alok Mathur and Melvin D’Souza, two NRIs settled in UK, who left their cushy MBA jobs to give shape to their passion. They visited Indian wineries including Vinsura, Oakwood and Casablanca and imported bottled wines from them under their own label a few years ago.
New Chic Range
The latest addition to the range has a new look, designed in house by Kingsland, which look to take the brand’s exiting identity forward and tap into a clear market opportunity. With the new design, Soul Tree and Kingsland are also looking to grow sales beyond the Indian restaurant sector and reach the lists of a wider spectrum of modern British restaurants.
The wines are reported on the seas currently and are expected to land this month, when a Soul Tree Red and Soul Tree White will be bottled at Kingsland’s Headquarters at Irlam in Greater Manchester. The company says this is to meet the growing demand from UK’s large Asian restaurant sector.
UK being a very small wine producer has become well-established for importing wines in bulk and bottling them and even exporting to the nearby countries, becoming a 10th wine exporter this year, according to a Report by OIV at the World Bulk Wine Exhibition (WBWE) earlier this month, resulting in substantial reduction of carbon footprints and freight costs.
Co-founder of The Soul Tree, Alok Mathur says, “Soul Tree is a rapidly growing brand with distribution throughout the UK, and a growing international footprint. We are really proud to put Indian wines on the bulk wine map, and the joint venture with Kingsland Drinks presents the opportunity to be part of one of the widest portfolios available to the UK market.”
The website of Soul Tree proudly claims to ‘Being Agents of the Real Change’ by ‘Putting Indian Wine on the Map’ and claims to be ‘Giving back to the underprivileged Indian farmer’ high-sounding words that may r o may not mean much. But their wines do declare ‘Character is everything.’
With the experience of Soul Tree dealing with Indian wines and restaurants, it is expected to add to the sales of Indian wine- even though in bulk. It might even give competition to the Indian bottled-wine exports.
For a few of the earlier related Articles, please visit:
Fratelli Rose Strikes Gold at London Sommelier Awards 2019
The Daily Dose of Wine from The Park
Rodrigues: Sparkling Man from Rio and Casablanca
Tree Sharing Soul to Expand in UK
Selling Wines with Indian Soul in UK
Subhash Arora
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