What Matthew Clark plc does

Matthew Clark plc (legal entity: Matthew Clark Bibendum Limited) is a UK nationwide drinks wholesaler and subsidiary of C&C Group plc, headquartered in Bristol. Founded in 1810 as a wine merchant, the company supplies wines, spirits, beer, cider, soft drinks, and champagne exclusively to the licensed on-trade hospitality sector — pubs, bars, restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, catering companies, sports and entertainment venues, and off-sales wholesalers — across England/Wales and Scotland from owned depots and a managed vehicle fleet.

The company's core offering combines a deep drinks portfolio (nearly 1,400 wines with ~200 annual additions, 40+ gin brands, and curated beer, cider, and spirits ranges) with proprietary digital infrastructure: the MC Live online ordering platform (matthewclarklive.com) provides 24/7 B2B ordering, quick order pads, order history, CSV upload, and multi-venue head-office management; an E-Billing module handles invoice management and credit account payments via the Sage payment gateway; and a Guest Checkout feature enables non-account ordering up to £1,500. A field sales force with regional customer development teams, plus dedicated Wine Development Specialists and category insight staff, supports account-based pricing and ranging decisions.

Revenue is generated through transaction-based wholesale sales with a £350 minimum order and tailored account pricing. Distribution and marketing channels include content (blog, Vini magazine), social, email, large-scale tasting events, virtual vineyard experiences, and bartender competitions. The business holds UK market share leadership in on-trade gin at 28% and has earned industry recognition including Fine Wine Merchant of the Year (Sommelier Wine Awards 2016) and Carbon Trust certification.

Name

Matthew Clark plc

Legal name

Matthew Clark Bibendum Limited

Website

https://matthewclark.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1810

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Matthew Clark plc is a UK nationwide drinks wholesaler and C&C Group subsidiary, supplying wines, spirits, beer, cider, soft drinks, and champagne to thousands of on-trade hospitality venues from owned depots and via its MC Live ordering platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Drinks Distribution: Matthew Clark operates as a nationwide drinks distributor supplying wines, spirits, beer, cider, and soft drinks to hospitality venues across the UK. Revenue is generated through product sales with minimum order values and account-based pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Matthew Clark plc is a UK nationwide wholesale drinks distributor supplying wines, spirits, beer, cider, soft drinks, and champagne to thousands of on-trade hospitality venues. Operations combine a multi-category beverage portfolio with owned depot and fleet logistics, a 24/7 B2B online ordering platform (MC Live), electronic billing, and marketing/trade support services delivered through a regional sales force.

Product overview

Matthew Clark plc is a nationwide UK drinks distributor serving the hospitality (on-trade) sector. The company operates as a single integrated offering combining a comprehensive drinks wholesale portfolio with digital ordering tools and marketing support services. The core products are six drink categories: Wine, Spirits, Beer, Cider, Soft Drinks, and Champagne, supplemented by the MC Live online ordering platform for B2B e-commerce, E-Billing for invoice management, and Marketing Support services. The company distributes to thousands of hospitality venues across the UK, providing one-stop drinks supply with nationwide depot coverage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wine Wholesale wine portfolio including still wines, sparkling wines, rosés, and Champagne from regions worldwide, with nearly 1,400 SKUs and approximately 200 new additions per year, sold to UK on-trade hospitality venues.
• Spirits Wholesale spirits range including gin, whisky, vodka, rum, and specialty spirits, featuring over 40 gin varieties and premium selections, supplied to UK on-trade hospitality customers.
• Beer Wholesale beer range including lagers, ales, IPAs, craft beers, and gluten-free options such as Peroni Nastro Azzurro, supplied to UK on-trade hospitality venues.
• Cider Wholesale cider selection including fruit ciders, traditional apple ciders, and premium craft ciders, supplied to UK on-trade hospitality venues.
• Soft Drinks Wholesale soft drinks portfolio including mixers, tonics, juices, and premium non-alcoholic options, supplied to UK on-trade hospitality venues.
• Champagne Wholesale Champagne selection including premium and prestige cuvées from renowned Champagne houses, supplied to UK on-trade hospitality venues.
• MC Live Online Ordering Platform Proprietary B2B online ordering system enabling hospitality venue customers to place orders, manage accounts, browse promotions, view order history, use quick order pads, upload CSVs, and run multi-venue head office administration 24/7.
• E-Billing Electronic billing and invoice management system allowing trade customers to view documents and manage credit account payments online, with credit/debit card payments processed via the Sage payment gateway.
• Marketing Support Services Hospitality training, insight-led ranging decisions, and promotional marketing materials provided to help UK on-trade venues maximize sales.

Quantifiable outcome

• Gin market share increased to 28%
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PubAidcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMatthew Clark partners with PubAid for the Community Pub Hero Awards, supporting recognition of community-focused pubs across the UK. This partnership aligns with their on-trade hospitality focus.
• The Weir (Brentford)minorOthersThe Weir pub in Brentford, London served as the venue for Matthew Clark's virtual wine tasting demonstration featured on Sky News.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Inverarity Morton: Scottish-based on-trade specialist drinks wholesaler with strong regional coverage and similar B2B model serving pubs, hotels, and restaurants. Direct competitor to Matthew Clark in the UK on-trade channel with overlapping wine, spirits, and beer portfolios.
• Enotria & Coe: UK premium on-trade wine and spirits distributor serving hospitality venues. Direct competitor focused on the same mid-to-premium on-trade segment with comparable customer base of restaurants, hotels, and bars.
• Hallgarten Druitt & Novum Wines: Specialist UK on-trade wine and spirits merchant with a curated portfolio of premium and boutique producers. Direct peer competing for the same mid-market and premium venue accounts across the UK.
• Liberty Wines: UK on-trade wine distributor focused on premium and artisanal producers. Direct competitor with similar business model of supplying restaurants and independent venues with quality-focused portfolios.
• Berkmann Wine Cellars: Family-owned UK wine merchant serving both on-trade and off-trade with a premium portfolio. Comparable business model and customer base in the UK hospitality channel.
• Lay & Wheeler: UK wine merchant with significant on-trade presence and fine wine focus. Smaller scale than Matthew Clark but directly comparable in serving premium hospitality accounts.

Broad incumbents

• C&C Group plc: Parent company of Matthew Clark and a major branded drinks manufacturer (Bulmers, Tennent's, Magners). Comparable as a broader drinks industry incumbent with overlapping channels and brand ownership upstream of Matthew Clark's wholesale model.
• Diageo plc: World's largest spirits manufacturer with significant UK on-trade presence and direct distribution relationships with venues. Operates at a different level of the value chain but competes for the same end-venue relationships and premium beverage share.
• Britvic plc: Major UK soft drinks manufacturer and distributor with direct on-trade relationships. Comparable as an incumbent in the broader UK beverage supply chain, particularly relevant to Matthew Clark's soft drinks portfolio.

Others

• Booker Group (Tesco): Broadline UK wholesaler serving pubs, restaurants, and small retailers with food, beverages, and supplies. Adjacent competitor - less specialized in drinks but offers an alternative one-stop procurement option for hospitality venues.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MatthewClarkUK
• Facebookfacebook.com/matthewclarkltd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/matthew-clark
• Instagraminstagram.com/matthewclarkltd
• Xx.com/matthewclarkltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Matthew Clark plc