Tanners Wines
Tanners Wines Ltd is a family-owned, UK independent wine merchant founded in 1842, operating seven retail branches and an e-commerce store selling 1,100+ wines from 29 countries, plus a 57-SKU Tanners Labels own-label range, a trade sales division for hospitality, en primeur, wine subscriptions, and fine wine services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1842
- HeadquartersShrewsbury, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Tanners Wines does
Tanners Wines Ltd is a UK-based, family-owned independent wine merchant, founded in 1842 and currently led by fourth-generation chairman James Tanner. The company operates seven retail branches across Shropshire, Cheshire, Herefordshire, Powys, and Conwy, supported by a bonded warehouse in Welshpool and a UK-wide e-commerce store carrying 1,592 SKUs spanning 1,100+ wines from 29 countries. Its core proprietary offering is the Tanners Labels own-label range of 57 products — including the flagship Tanners Claret (sourced via Maison Sichel and launched 1959), Tanners Champagne Extra Réserve Brut, English Sparkling Brut, Provence Rosé, Douro Red, and Hereford Dry Gin — sold at price points from under £12 to £1,200 (Pol Roger Salmanazar).
Revenue is generated across six streams: DTC retail wine and spirits sales (one-time purchases, mixed cases, gift sets, e-Gift Cards), trade/B2B supply to restaurants, hotels and pubs via a dedicated Area Sales Manager field team and trade support office, an En Primeur programme for Bordeaux, Vintage Port, Rioja and Italy, fine wine services (in-bond storage, cellar planning, wine investment advice) housed at the Welshpool bonded warehouse, the Wine in Time Club subscription, and tasting events plus venue hire at A Taste of Tanners Wine and Tapas in Shrewsbury. Marketing runs across the e-commerce site, organic social (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), email newsletters, an extensive editorial library of region/grape/vintage/food-matching guides, and tasting events with producer visits.
Customer segments split horizontally between Individual Consumers, Hospitality Businesses (both marked primary), and a secondary Wine Collectors segment, each with distinct use cases — everyday drinking, wine list supply, and fine wine investment respectively. Pricing is uniformly pay-as-you-go unit pricing, with bottled wines from £10 gift cards into en primeur and prestige Champagne tiers. The operating geography is the UK only; the company remains privately held with no external investors or parent group.
Tanners Wines firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tanners Wines
- Legal name
- Tanners Wines Ltd
- Website
- https://tanners-wines.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1842
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Tanners Wines Ltd is a family-owned, UK independent wine merchant founded in 1842, operating seven retail branches and an e-commerce store selling 1,100+ wines from 29 countries, plus a 57-SKU Tanners Labels own-label range, a trade sales division for hospitality, en primeur, wine subscriptions, and fine wine services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tanners Wines industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wine Retail and Distribution
- NAICS
- Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (424820)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180), Retail-Retail Stores, Nec (5990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants) (CRANABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF), Fine Wine & Luxury Spirits Retail (CRANABAE), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Wine Bars (CRANACAE)
Keywords
Where Tanners Wines is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Shrewsbury
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices7 records
Markets served
Tanners Wines business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Retail Wine Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of wines, spirits, and accessories through 7 physical branches and e-commerce website. Revenue from individual bottle purchases, mixed cases, and gift sets.
- Trade/B2B Sales: Sales to hospitality businesses including restaurants, hotels, and pubs through dedicated trade sales team. Includes keg beers, cask ales, and soft drinks alongside wine portfolio.
- En Primeur: Pre-release wine purchasing programme for Bordeaux, Vintage Port, and other regions. Customers purchase wine before it is bottled, with delivery at future date.
- Fine Wine Services: Wine storage services (in-bond), cellar planning, and wine investing advice for collectors.
- Events & Tastings: Wine tasting events, producer visits, and tours. Also includes venue hire for private events at A Taste of Tanners Wine and Tapas branch.
- Wine Subscriptions: Wine in Time Club subscription service delivering curated wine selections regularly.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Budget wines under £12 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tanners own label range |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wine gift sets and hampers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mixed cases |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium and fine wines |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Champagne and sparkling |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Tanners Wines product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tanners Wines is an independent UK wine merchant that retails more than 1,100 wines from 29 countries alongside a 57-SKU own-label range (Tanners Labels), spirits, gift sets, and accessories. Sales are fulfilled through seven physical retail branches in Shropshire, Cheshire, Herefordshire, Powys, and Conwy and a nationwide e-commerce website, with a dedicated B2B trade division serving hospitality customers via area sales managers, in-bond storage, cellar planning, wine subscriptions, and en primeur programmes.
Product overview
Tanners Wines is a UK wine merchant offering an extensive portfolio of wines, spirits, and accessories through both e-commerce and seven physical retail branches. The core offering centers on the Tanners Labels own-label collection, which includes the flagship Tanners Claret (Bordeaux), Tanners Champagne (including Extra Réserve Brut and Rosé expressions), Tanners English Sparkling Brut (a newer addition), Tanners Provence Rosé, and a comprehensive range of regional varietal wines spanning France (Burgundy, Rhône Valley, Gascony, Pays d'Oc), Spain (La Mancha Rioja), Italy (Douro), Australia (Shiraz), New Zealand (Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc), Argentina (Malbec), Chile (Cabernet Sauvignon), and Portugal (Douro). The own-label range also encompasses fortified wines (Sherry, Port including Late Bottled Vintage, Ruby, and Crusted Port), sparkling wines (Prosecco, Cava), spirits (Hereford Dry Gin, Sloe Gin), and Sauternes. Beyond the Tanners Labels core, the company offers curated gift sets (duos, trios, magnum gifts), mixed cases, en primeur services (Bordeaux, Vintage Port, Italy, Rioja), the Wine in Time Club subscription service, fine wine services (storage, cellar planning, investing), trade sales for hospitality businesses, and a wine bar/restaurant (A Taste of Tanners Wine and Tapas). The product portfolio also includes non-alcoholic drinks, beer and cider, and accessories.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Tanners Labels: Own-label wine range including Tanners Claret, Tanners Champagne, Tanners Prosecco, and other varietal wines from France, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, and England
- Wine in Time Club
- A Taste of Tanners
Products and services
- Tanners Labels Own-Label Range Own-label collection of approximately 57 wines, spirits, and fortified wines crafted by top winemakers in their respective regions and bottled to Tanners' specifications; flagship Tanners Claret is the long-running best-seller, alongside Tanners Champagne (Extra Réserve Brut, Rosé), Tanners English Sparkling, Tanners Provence Rosé, Tanners New Zealand Pinot Noir, Tanners Spanish Reserva, Tanners Douro Red, Tanners Argentinian Malbec, and others. Designed for individual consumers seeking quality consistency and value, as well as hospitality trade customers.
- Wine Gift Sets and Tasting Duos/Trios
Companies that use Tanners Wines
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Tanners Wines technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Tanners Wines partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Tanners Wines competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Berry Bros. & Rudd: Britain's oldest wine and spirits merchant, family-owned since 1698, operating London flagship shops, fine wine brokerage, B2B trade supply, and an extensive e-commerce platform. Directly comparable in heritage positioning, multi-channel structure, and own-label/private-buy programme depth.
- The Wine Society: UK's largest wine co-operative with a membership-driven retail model and curated wine programme. Comparable in customer-loyalty mechanics and exclusive/private-buy wine sourcing, though structurally different as a member-owned entity versus family-owned merchant.
- Corney & Barrow: Independent UK wine merchant with deep B2B/trade focus serving restaurants, hotels, and private clients. Directly comparable in trade sales division, fine wine services, and own-label-style exclusive ranges.
- Lay & Wheeler: Long-established independent UK wine merchant offering retail, trade supply, and fine wine services including in-bond storage. Highly comparable in business model mix and customer segmentation between consumer and hospitality.
- Justerini & Brooks: Historic UK fine wine and spirits merchant focused on B2B trade, fine wine brokerage, and private client services. Comparable in trade division structure, fine wine expertise, and premium positioning, though without Tanners' branch retail footprint.
- Yapp Brothers: Family-owned independent UK wine merchant specialising in Rhône, Loire, and Italy with both retail and trade operations. Comparable as a regional/independent family merchant with curated regional portfolio and personal service ethos.
- Laithwaites: One of the UK's largest direct-to-consumer wine merchants with strong subscription club model and national reach. Comparable in subscription mechanics and curated own-label-style wines, though significantly larger scale than Tanners.
- Bibendum Wine: UK wine merchant with strong restaurant/hospitality trade focus, curated portfolio, and own-import ranges. Directly comparable in B2B trade sales model and wine list curation services.
- Hedonism Wines: London-based fine wine and spirits retailer with extensive premium/collector focus, in-store tasting experience, and online store. Comparable in fine wine retail, en primeur offerings, and premium positioning, though more London-centric than Tanners' regional focus.
Broad incumbents
- Majestic Wine: UK's largest specialist wine retailer with 200+ stores nationwide and strong trade division. Operates in the same wine retail category at significantly larger scale; comparable as the leading broad incumbent rather than a direct peer in size or positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Tanners Wines social profiles
Digital presenceTanners Wines financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tanners Wines leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Tanners Wines funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tanners Wines M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tanners Wines
What does Tanners Wines do?
Tanners Wines is an independent UK wine merchant that retails more than 1,100 wines from 29 countries alongside a 57-SKU own-label range (Tanners Labels), spirits, gift sets, and accessories. Sales are fulfilled through seven physical retail branches in Shropshire, Cheshire, Herefordshire, Powys, and Conwy and a nationwide e-commerce website, with a dedicated B2B trade division serving hospitality customers via area sales managers, in-bond storage, cellar planning, wine subscriptions, and en primeur programmes.
Is Tanners Wines a public or private company?
Tanners Wines is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Tanners Wines founded?
Tanners Wines was founded in 1842. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Tanners Wines based?
Tanners Wines is headquartered in Shrewsbury, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Tanners Wines make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Retail Wine Sales are the primary driver. The others are trade/B2B Sales, en Primeur, fine Wine Services, events & Tastings and wine Subscriptions.
Who are Tanners Wines's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Berry Bros. & Rudd, The Wine Society, Corney & Barrow, Lay & Wheeler, Justerini & Brooks, Yapp Brothers, Laithwaites, Bibendum Wine and Hedonism Wines. Majestic Wine is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Tanners Wines have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tanners Wines.
What industry is Tanners Wines in?
Tanners Wines's product category is Wine Retail and Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRANABAB, Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants), with a secondary code of CRANABAF, Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail). Its NAICS code is 44532 and its SIC code is 5180.