T&J supplies award-winning wine merchants, Whitmore & White, with By The Glass wine dispense
T&J Installations has supplied and installed By The Glass’s wine dispensing system at Whitmore & White’s new store in West Kirby in the Wirral. The innovative wine dispenser and preservation system, which also dispenses tastings, has tripled the value of wines they now offer by the glass.
The award-winning, independent, fine wine and food hall merchants has had three two-bottle modular units installed at its third, and latest branch. Since installation, By The Glass’s wine preservation system has opened up new avenues for the boutique food hall and wine merchants.
Joe Whittick, owner of Whitmore & White, said: “We wanted to enhance our range of wines available by the glass and, having viewed the By The Glass system at a trade show, we decided it was the one for us.
“Since installation, our customers have really taken to the new system, and what it has to offer. We take full control of it – so customers use the wine by the glass system through us rather than directly and, in that way, we can control tastings.”
The West Kirby branch is different from Whitmore & White’s other two stores. Customers can sit in for a coffee, a glass of wine or enjoy beer on tap. To complement the drinks, there's a range of antipasti, charcuterie and cheese sharing boards served throughout the day. Breads, quiches, cakes and confectionery are also made on-site in West Kirby. The new store stocks more than 300 different wines and 100 spirits, including more than 30 different gins.
"Since having By The Glass, we have gone from offering wines of around £4-6 a glass, to nearly triple that."
Joe continued: “The ability to offer wine tastings in this way has helped us sell a lot of glasses of wine. With a tasting, a customer can decide whether they want to pay that £10‑15 premium for a glass of wine, or perhaps even a whole bottle. Before now, we would never offer a tasting or look to sell by the glass a £40-60 bottle of wine. The value of the potential wastage had simply been too high. Since having By The Glass, we have gone from offering wines of around £4-6 a glass, to nearly triple that.
“We’ve noticed good retail sales on our premium wines with the support of the By the Glass system, and it has offered us a lot of flexibility in that respect too. We are not beholden to any kind of printed wine list. We like to give variety to our customers, so we regularly change what wines we offer. By The Glass helps us test out new, high ticket wines with our customers, and minimise that risk of wastage.”
Following the success of the installation at West Kirby, Whitmore & White is now considering what By The Glass has to offer other locations. Whitmore & White’s second shop in Frodsham earnt the title of Taste Cheshire’s Best Deli 2016. Whitmore & White was also Highly Commended at the Cheshire Life Food & Drink Awards 2016.
Ian Jones said: “We are really pleased to be working with Whitmore & White – it’s great to see what possibilities the system has created for them. Having completed the installation works, and now providing our ongoing maintenance services to support that, we’ll be on hand for any further installations at their other locations.”
For more information on By The Glass wine dispense and preservation systems, and how they can help you increase sales of premium wines, please contact Ian Jones or Paul Cassells on 0121 783 8925, or email info@tjinstall.co.uk.
