Corney & Barrow

What Corney & Barrow does

Corney & Barrow is a privately held, UK-founded (1780) independent wine merchant and one of the oldest operating specialty wine retailers in the country. The company curates and sells a portfolio of more than 4,000 wines, of which approximately 75% are exclusive to Corney & Barrow through long-standing own-label and producer partnerships with estates such as Maison Sichel, Bodegas Zugober, Maison Auvigue, Domaine Marquis d'Angerville, and Champagne Guy de Chassey. Its offering spans everyday drinking wines from under £12 per bottle through to investment-grade fine wines above £50, including blue-chip Burgundy (Domaine de la Romanee-Conti), Bordeaux first growths and Petrus, with dedicated fine wine broking and en primeur (wine futures) services for high-net-worth collectors.

The business operates a Magento 2 e-commerce platform (corneyandbarrow.com) integrated with Stripe payments, Cloudflare bot management, Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, reCAPTCHA, CookieYes consent tooling, and Oct8ne live chat. It is supplemented by eight physical offices: five in the UK (London HQ, Edinburgh, Newmarket, Sedbury, Ayr) and three in Asia-Pacific (Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai). Distribution supports duty-paid home delivery, in-bond storage, and red-van doorstep service, with free delivery above £150.

Revenue is generated across four primary streams: transactional retail wine sales, fine wine broking on investment-grade bottles, subscription-style en primeur campaigns (Bordeaux 2025, Burgundy 2024) including a Cellar Club membership, and event/wedding services with sale-or-return terms and gift lists. Target customers comprise HNW fine wine collectors and investors, wedding and event planners, on-trade accounts (restaurants, hotels, venues), and discerning everyday wine enthusiasts. The company holds Royal Warrants from His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty Queen Camilla and is one of only three UK wine merchants to carry such royal endorsement, reinforcing its premium positioning.

Name

Corney & Barrow

Legal name

Corney & Barrow

Website

https://corneyandbarrow.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1780

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Corney & Barrow is a privately-held, UK-founded (1780) independent wine merchant selling 4,000+ wines, of which 75% are exclusive, across everyday, fine, en primeur, and brokerage tiers via Magento e-commerce and eight offices in the UK and Asia-Pacific, serving HNW collectors, event planners, on-trade accounts, and discerning enthusiasts under Royal Warrants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Retail and Distribution

NAICS

Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (4248)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants) (CRANABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fine Wine & Luxury Spirits Retail (CRANABAE), Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF), Alcoholic Beverage Wholesale (Beer, Wine, Spirits) (AFAIAGAA)

Keywords

• Independent wine merchant
• Fine wine retail
• En primeur wines
• Wine broking services
• Wine subscription

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail Wine Sales: Direct retail sales of wines ranging from everyday drinking (£9-12+) to fine wines (£50+). Offers both delivery (duty paid) and in-bond storage options. Includes own-label wines made exclusively for C&B.
2. Fine Wine Broking: Brokerage services for investment-grade fine wines, including 'last 3 days' new arrivals and dedicated fine wine broking services with specialized wine selection.
3. En Primeur Sales: Pre-release wine purchases (Bordeaux En Primeur 2025, Burgundy En Primeur 2024) where customers buy wine futures before physical delivery, with cellaring advice and Cellar Club membership.
4. Events & Weddings Services: Specialized services for weddings, parties and events including tastings, gift lists, sale-or-return terms, and event planning support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Corney & Barrow is an established UK independent wine merchant selling over 4,000 wines ranging from everyday drinking (sub-£12) to investment-grade fine wines (£50+) through a Magento 2 e-commerce platform, five UK offices, and Asia-Pacific offices. The company operates fine wine broking services, en primeur futures programs (Bordeaux 2025, Burgundy 2024), own-label wines produced in partnership with world-class winemakers, wedding and event services, and a wine subscription with Cellar Club membership.

Product overview

Corney & Barrow is an established UK fine wine merchant operating a multi-channel wine retail platform. The core offering centers on a portfolio of over 4,000 wines available through a Magento e-commerce platform, supplemented by premium Fine Wine broking services for investment-grade bottles. The product range spans three tiers: the broad Wine Selection catalog covering everyday to premium wines across all major wine-producing countries; the Fine Wine division offering rare collectibles and en primeur access; and proprietary C&B Own Label wines produced exclusively in partnership with renowned winemakers. Additional services include wedding and event catering, wine subscription, knowledge resources (blog, podcast, vintage charts), and a Cellar Club membership. The business operates physical locations alongside the e-commerce platform, holding two Royal Warrants serving the British Royal Family.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• C&B Own Label: Exclusive wines made in partnership with winemakers, representing best-in-class archetypes of each wine style.

Products and services

• Wine Selection General wine catalog offering over 4,000 wines including everyday drinking, featured wines, summer wines, chillable reds, organic wines, and vegan wines. Covers multiple wine types (red, white, rosé, sparkling, sweet/fortified), grape varieties, and countries/regions including France, Spain, Italy, Chile, Australia, Argentina, Germany, North America, Great Britain, South Africa, and Portugal. Available to individual consumers and businesses via the Magento e-commerce platform.
• Fine Wine Premium wine collection including fine wines ready to drink or cellar, en primeur offerings (Bordeaux and Burgundy), broking services for buying and selling, and access to rare collectible wines from world-renowned producers like Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Petrus. Targeted at fine wine collectors, investors, and high-net-worth individuals.
• En Primeur Wines Advance purchase program for wines before they are bottled and released, including Bordeaux En Primeur 2025 and Burgundy En Primeur 2024. Includes access to offer library and cellaring FAQs. Customers buy wine futures with delivery at a future date, typically with multi-year contract terms and Cellar Club membership benefits.
• Broking Services Wine broking service enabling customers to buy and sell fine wines, with new wines listed daily (last 3 days), fine wine list access, and featured fine wines for investment-grade bottles. Targeted at collectors and investors looking to trade fine wines through C&B's specialized brokerage desk.
• C&B Own Label Wine Exclusive private label wines made in partnership with world-class winemakers, representing best-in-class archetypes across European wine styles. Includes sparkling, white, rosé, and red selections from partner estates such as Maison Sichel, Bodegas Zugober, Maison Auvigue, and Domaine Marquis d'Angerville.
• Wedding, Parties and Events Services Comprehensive event wine services including free tastings, alternative gift lists, drinks calculators, food matching suggestions, sale or return terms, and catering for weddings and special occasions. Targeted at couples planning weddings, event organizers, and venues.
• Wine Subscription Subscription service for recurring wine deliveries with curated selections tailored to customer preferences.
• Mixed Wine Cases Pre-curated mixed case selections including themed cases (Al Fresco, Rose Spring 2026, Best Sellers, Discovery, Unearthed Gems, Classic Whites/Redds), regional cases (Burgundy, St-Emilion, Margaux), and specialty collections (Legendary, Cardinal Collection). Priced from £65 to £432.
• Gift Boxes Packaging options for wine gifts including 1-bottle and 2-bottle cardboard boxes with logo, 6-bottle wooden cases, and themed gift boxes. Priced from £4 for cardboard to £30 for wooden cases.
• Cellar Club Membership program offering exclusive benefits for wine enthusiasts including priority access to en primeur releases, special pricing, and curated cellar management.
• On Trade Supply B2B service for on-trade businesses (restaurants, hotels, bars) supplying wines for commercial establishments. Includes sale-or-return terms and competitive pricing against venue house wines.

Quantifiable outcome

• 245+ years in business
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Maison SichelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive partnership for C&B own-label Claret, including Perigord Sauvignon Blanc Semillon and Reserve Claret selections, with Maison Sichel producing wines to C&B specifications.
• Bodegas ZugobercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with family estate in Rioja Alavesa for exclusive C&B Rioja Crianza. Vines sourced from 20 hectares with classic crianza aging in American oak.
• Maison AuviguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for C&B White Burgundy Maison Auvigue, with wines blended to C&B specifications in the Maconnais region.
• Domaine Marquis d'AngervillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive partnership for C&B Bourgogne Aligote, a special bottling bearing C&B's own label produced at the prestigious Burgundy estate.
• Breaky BottomminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for C&B Brut Jubilee Cuvee 1952 and other English sparkling wines to mark special occasions.
• Bumblebee Conservation TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for The Bumblebee 12 Bottle Mixed Case - organic and bee-friendly wines supporting conservation efforts.
• Champagne Guy de ChasseycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner50th anniversary exclusive partnership with Champagne Guy de Chassey, featuring Grand Cru Champagne available exclusively through C&B.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Liberty Wines: UK wine importer and merchant specializing in family-owned estates, with strong on-trade (restaurant) supply business. Comparable in B2B on-trade focus and curated producer relationships.
• Lay & Wheeler: UK independent wine merchant (est. 1854) specializing in fine wine, en primeur, and broking — directly competing with C&B in the fine wine futures and broking space. Highly comparable heritage and product focus.
• Berry Bros. & Rudd: Britain's oldest wine merchant (est. 1698), offering fine wine, en primeur, broking, and own-label wines with a similar 300+ year heritage and Royal Warrant history. Closest direct competitor in the UK independent wine merchant category.
• The Wine Society: UK's largest wine co-operative offering curated wine selection to members, with similar own-label focus, vintage expertise, and educational content marketing. Comparable business model targeting discerning UK wine drinkers.
• Justerini & Brooks: UK fine wine merchant owned by Diageo, specializing in Bordeaux, Burgundy, and en primeur sales with similar B2B and HNW collector focus. Direct competitor in the fine wine broking and en primeur segments.
• Roberson Wine: London-based fine wine merchant specializing in investment-grade Bordeaux and Burgundy with broking services. Smaller specialist competitor with similar fine wine investment positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Sotheby's Wine & Spirits: Global fine wine auctioneer and broker operating through a prestigious brand, competing with C&B's fine wine broking service at the ultra-high-end of the investment-grade wine market. Comparable customer base of HNW collectors.
• Majestic Wine: UK's largest wine specialist retailer (now owned by Fortress Investment Group), offering a broader mass-market portfolio with nationwide retail stores. Larger scale and lower price-point focus; overlaps with C&B's everyday wine segment.
• Laithwaites (Direct Wines): One of the UK's largest wine merchants with subscription, retail, and on-trade models (owns Wine People, Averys). Larger scale with overlapping customer segments including wine subscription, weddings, and everyday wines.

Regional players

• Acker Merrall & Condit: US-based fine wine auctioneer and retailer serving the North American HNW collector market. Comparable fine wine broking and en primeur business model but operates in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/corneyandbarrow
• Facebookfacebook.com/corneyandbarrow
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/corney-and-barrow-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Corney & Barrow