Marks & Spencer (M&S) is planning to grow its on-line wine sales and has appointed new wines product developer Chris Murphy to its e-commerce team to drive internet business. The move follows the recent re-launch of the M&S consumer website in conjunction with Amazon. Murphy told Checkout: “On-line is big, it’s just expanding that opportunity along with the rest of the business. Clothing is going forward at a rapid rate of knots and food is too, wine is just a natural thing to accompany it.” No further details of how the offer may develop were available as Checkout went to press but Murphy added: “I’m going in there to bring wine experience to a really good team of people – watch this space.” M&S is also expanding its team of in-store wine advisors from 50 to 100 stores this month (June). They provide advice on the wine section from Thursday through to Saturday. Murphy said: “We know that when we put people in stores, and they are on their section to be asked [advice] it works.” At its spring wine tasting, M&S refreshed approximately 30% of its range with a focus on Fairtrade. It has launched four Fairtrade wines in its range: two from South Africa and two from South America. The South African wines are from Citrusdal Cellars in the Western Cape and comprise a Fairtrade Maara Chardonnay and Fairtrade Maara Shiraz. Both retail at £5.49. According to M&S wine maker Gerd Stepp, Citrusdal has been one of the pioneering co-operative wineries in South Africa to develop Fairtrade wines. “Fairtrade is growing but it takes time,” said Stepp, who added M&S was aiming to work with more farms to move towards Fairtrade status. The two South American Fairtrade wines are Famatina Valley Pinot Grigio from Argentina and Curico Valley Shiraz from Chile. Both retail at £5.49. * Jane Masters, M&S’s former BWS head, is returning to the retailer as a consultant, responsible for product development in wine. Andy Howard has joined as a wine buyer from within the business and Tom Villa has joined the team with responsibility for the wine advisor service programme and in-store displays.
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