Asda sourcing arm IPL is to extend its international reach as it looks to widen its wine offer.

The operation already sources from countries including France, Italy, Spain and Romania, and recently started sourcing pinot noir from Macedonia, as it looks to increase the proportion of Asda wine it supplies.

“IPL is responsible for well over 50% of Asda’s wine now, and while that will never be 100%, we are certainly planning to increase that figure over the coming years,” said IPL MD Nick Scrase.

“The message to our teams is to get more creative and we currently employ two winemakers, one from France and another from New Zealand, who are visiting wine producers globally and this gives us expertise meeting expertise.”

Scrase also said exports to Asia were rising. Last year, IPL revealed that two Asda own-label beers brewed by Shepherd Neame were selling more in Japan than in the UK - 155% more in the case of Golden ale, and 125% more for Extra Special Gentleman James.

“The beer is flying off the shelves in Asia and we now send six Asda-branded beer lines into Japan,” added Scrase, who said Asda wine and beer was seen as premium overseas.

“If you go back 20 or 30 years our food and drinks were ridiculed abroad, but now they can’t get enough. We now sell almost as much Extra Special wine in Japan as in the UK.”

He added: “The Asda brand can be found in Walmart in Mexico, Ghana and South Africa and I only see this movement accelerating.”

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