Self-pour wine bar chain and winery Vagabond Wines has launched direct-to-consumer operations.
The shop – accessible via the Vagabond website and integrated into the Vagabond app – offers nationwide, next-day delivery of more than 50 exclusive SKUs.
“Vagabond has always been about discovery; now that journey doesn’t stop when you leave the bar,” said Christobell Giles, Vagabond Wines MD. “Many of our customers discover us while travelling, or they visit our bars but live outside London. Now they can explore wines on the taps, see personalised recommendations in the app, and have a case on their doorstep the next day.”
As per the taps in its 12 bars – where guests ‘tap and pour’ more than 100 wines by the glass from its self-serve machines – wines are merchandised by style, with more than 50 exclusive SKUs available to browse.
The company, purchased out of administration by specialist retailer Majestic in a £6.5m rescue deal last year, will use data from the DTC sales to “capture genuine preferences that will guide future buying, bar lists and allocations”, it said.
“It creates a seamless journey from bar to home, and it gives us a far deeper understanding of how our guests taste and explore,” Giles added.
The platform – which is built on Shopify and connected to Vagabond’s loyalty system – will also sell wines made at Vagabond’s Urban Winery at Canada Water, London, when it opens on 4 December.
As production at the new site grows from 25,000 to 100,000 bottles, visitors will be able to discover the wines at the winery or in one of its bars, then reorder their favourites at home. National delivery is supported by a logistics partnership with Enotria.
Next-day delivery is available for orders made before midday for £9.95, and standard delivery is £7.50. Delivery is free on orders totalling more than £99.
“Vagabond has always been a brand built around curiosity, quality and great guest experiences. This new DTC platform brings all of that together and gives customers a way to enjoy Vagabond wherever they are,” said John Colley, group CEO and executive chairman at Majestic Wine Group.
“Integrating the app, the bars and national delivery creates a powerful foundation for growth. We’re delighted to back this next chapter and excited to see how guests respond,” he added.
Parent Majestic has been offering rapid delivery of wine for several years, via partnerships with Just Eat, Deliveroo and Uber Eats.
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