North South Wines has acquired the When in Rome wine brand for an undisclosed sum.
The UK-based distributor said the deal marked “a significant step forward in our ambition to expand our range of sustainable and alternative wine formats”.
When in Rome sells a range of Italian wines in the UK in “low-carbon packaging formats” including cans, bag-in-box and paper bottles. Its products are stocked by most major UK supermarkets, including Waitrose and Sainsbury’s.
The brand had turned to crowdfunding to support growth in recent years, having raised more than £1.2m from equity investors over three separate rounds on Crowdcube between 2021 and 2025.
Last March, it completed a successful £300k crowdfunding campaign at a pre-money valuation of £4m.
In a statement, When in Rome founder Rob Malin said he recognised “some shareholders may have hoped for a different outcome”.
However, Malin – who has exited the business, according to his LinkedIn profile – insisted When in Rome “could not have found a better home” than North South Wines.
“These are challenging times for smaller players in the wine industry and North South has stepped up with an exciting route forward for the brand we’re so proud to have created,” he added.
Kim Wilson, managing director of North South Wines, insisted the business had “acquired the brand and assets at fair market value,” adding the transaction was approved by the majority of When in Rome shareholders.
“We are thrilled to welcome When in Rome into the North South Wines family,” she said. “Their innovative approach and dedication to sustainability align perfectly with our own ethos. Together, we look forward to expanding the reach of When in Rome and continuing to challenge the status quo in the wine industry.”
North South Wines planned to integrate When in Rome in the coming months before embarking on “some exciting NPD plans in time”, she added.
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