A Scottish Champagne specialist has announced its first US export contract.
The Fife firm and current Champagne Retailer of the Year is now shipping to California, Florida, Illinois and Montana, with talks under way to expand its range of grower Champagnes in other parts of the US.
Formed in 2021 by business partners Peter Crawford and Daniel Blatchford, Sip Champagnes “sources and supplies only the best small-batch, handcrafted champagne straight to consumers and the hospitality trade from France’s iconic wine region”.
In less than three years, Sip Champagnes claims it has established itself as the UK’s leading online grower Champagne retailer.
Boasting the UK’s largest collection of 60 Champagne producers and over 236 individual cuvées from across 25 villages in its range, Sip Champagnes only deals with ethically-sourced and artisan products direct from farmers.
The first shipment from the Sip Champagnes range, includes Famille Delouvin; Louis Brochet; Alexis, Beaugrand; Didier Herbert; A. Levasseur; and Hélène Beaugrand.
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The small producers previously had no supply chain and no access to high-end restaurants, bars, hotels and wine boutiques, which it is claimed meant consumers had limited choice.
Over the past year, Sip Champagnes has been working in partnership with Cage Imports to create the infrastructure needed to make its first shipment to the US this spring. The firm plans to continue working in partnership with Cage Imports to expand its range across the US in 2023 and beyond.
The US is now the top export market for Champagne. Sales soared by 19.4 per cent to $998m in 2022, with American wine lovers developing a taste for quality cuvées.
Mr Crawford, from Balmerino, is co-founder of Sip Champagnes and is described as one of the UK's leading Champagne experts.
He said: “It was always part of our plan to export to the United States. Grower Champagne is underrepresented worldwide and our ambition was to create a model that would be global. The US is a huge market, with a great wine trade established and a growing appetite for the most interesting, artisan products.
“The US market demands well-made, sustainably minded champagnes. The American consumer cares about how the grapes are farmed, how the land is treated, who makes the wine and what their story is. Of course, it also needs to be delicious, but that is not the only factor that determines the final consumer choice.”
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He added: “Brexit has complicated things for exporters in general. We had to create a French subsidiary as it was too difficult and costly to go via the UK, although this came with its own set of challenges.
“Similarly, across the channel, there are a new set of difficulties, namely state-by-state alcohol licensing laws. As such, we have chosen to partner with an established Champagne professional who shares our ethos but, crucially, has experience navigating the import and distribution network. This will make it far quicker and simpler to get our Champagne to market.”
Garth Hodgdon, founder of Cage Imports, said: “At Cage Imports, our goal is to bring what is current in Champagne to the consumers in the United States. Our partnership with Sip allows us to access their deep knowledge of the region and the relationships they have with producers to continue to import new and exciting champagne.
“Together, Sip and Cage have the ability to share the champagne growers with with the consumers who are passionate about what they are creating."
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In September 2022, Sip Champagnes was awarded the prestigious accolade of Champagne retailer of the year by the world’s leading wine media brand, Decanter, who singled out the newcomer for its “laser-like focus on cutting-edge wines from the region”.
Sip Champagnes also won The Drinks Business Specialist Online Retailer of the Year Award for 2022.
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