H&C News meets with suppliers regularly to keep up to date with the latest product and service innovations, aiming to get the inside track on what companies offer to the market and how it is delivered.
This week, we met with Renu Sunak, Business Development Manager of Wine Innovations at their offices in Leek, Staffordshireto gain a better understanding of the business.
H&C News – Your product is becoming increasingly common in retail outlets, at events, and at venues such as sports stadiums and cinemas – but where did it all begin?
Renu Sunak – The idea began with the inventor, James Nash, who recognised the difficulty in buying and selling wine at busy events, on transport, and so on, and came up with a simple solution. Many people may remember the product appearing on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den in its embryonic stages. Ball Capital Investment saw the potential value of the product early on, and, since taking over Wine Innovations, we have run with James’ early ideas, producing an excellent, high quality product, capable of being served at a fast rate, in large numbers, without any danger of spills or breakages.
It has not taken long for Intrepid Fox to appear in national retail chains, retail stores within train stations, and catering stalls at large venues, as these places are where the product’s benefits really become clear.
How does ‘Intrepid Fox’ work, and how does it differ from the competition?
The design of Intrepid Fox is a brilliantly simple concept that truly stands out from our competitors. The good-quality wine comes pre-packaged in a fully recyclable, easy-serve PET ‘tulip’ with a peelable foil lid. This gives the product a shelf life of up to a whole year. The shatterproof PET ‘tulip’ and heat sealed lid virtually eliminates breakages, and the foil seal means there’s no risk of spillages.
Our product makes it possible to serve wine at a rate that would be impossible when decanting from a bottle. The fact that no decanting is necessary also eliminates the occurrence of costly spillages, as well as dramatically reducing expenditure on plastic cups. These properties make Intrepid Fox incredibly appealing to traders serving a large number of customers in a short time window, as well as to retailers serving ‘food-to-go’.
Another major differentiator between Intrepid Fox and other pre-packaged drinks products is the aesthetic appeal. Caterers at glass-free venues typically have to serve wine into breakable plastic tumblers or pint glasses. Our ‘glass’ closely resembles a traditional wine glass in look and feel, adding to the wine consumer’s experience, and it can be enjoyed practically anywhere.
What is the purchasing process here? How does a catering company, for example, go from seeing your product to ordering it?
When deciding whether to buy a product, caterers and retailers have to ask themselves whether the product is right for their business. Intrepid Fox is specifically designed for caterers wanting to offer customers a good quality wine when trading at high-traffic outdoor events or venues. The easy-serve, aesthetically appealing design makes the product similarly suitable for convenience retailers wanting to offer quality ‘grab-and-go’ products, and for the customer wanting to enjoy a delicious wine wherever they may be. If maximising revenue means quick and easy service, then intrepid Fox is the right decision for you.
If you are interested in the product please get in touch, as we are sold through a number of nationwide wholesalers but we can also look at the best placed route to market for each of our customers. Visit us at www.wineinnovationsltd.com or call 01538 369333.
What new product developments are you looking at in the future?
Renu Sunak, Business Development Manager of Wine InnovationsAs it has become clear that there is a major market for pre-packaged ‘wine in a glass’, we will certainly be looking at expanding our range. There is a lot for room for variety when selling a product such as wine, with individual taste being so decisive in driving a customer choice. We aim to be able to cater for every customer in the future, offering a wider range of wines, and potentially more speciality products.
H & C News comment – We particularly enjoyed meeting with Renu, we can testify to the quality of the product as we just had to try them, we also look forward to watching this company closely as it seems to have the components for success, simplicity, quality and high growth.
To learn more about Intrepid Fox click here