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Not entirely surprising news that Adnams’ Cellar & Kitchen chain is finding trading tough going. This is a bizarre project involving setting up shops combining high-end wine and kitchenware. History is littered with examples of companies diversifying into areas that are outside their core business and area of expertise, and ending up falling flat on their face. And the idea of juxtaposing wine and kitchenware sounds like something dreamed up by marketing consultants after a very long lunch. What next – Westons setting up a chain called “Spade & Press” combining cider with garden tools? When I first heard of the concept I thought “that sounds like a recipe for failure.”

Also disappointing to see them whingeing about progressive beer duty. If they’re worried about tiny micro breweries eating into their trade they must be doing something fundamentally wrong. By definition, unless your production volumes remain very low, you don’t benefit much if at all from PBD.



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