What The On-Trade does

The On-Trade is a UK-focused B2B digital media platform serving hospitality professionals in the British on-trade sector. Launched by Beverage Trade Network (BTN) as a magazine-style publication, it provides news, insights, profiles, and operational guidance for sommeliers, bartenders, wine directors, bar managers, and venue operators across restaurants, hotels, and bars. The platform is explicitly positioned to address information gaps in the UK on-trade market during a period shaped by COVID-19 recovery, Brexit-related supply pressures, staffing shortages, and rising operating costs. Sid Patel, CEO and founder of Beverage Trade Network, oversees the broader portfolio of which The On-Trade is the UK editorial arm.

The core product is a content publishing site built on a blog CMS with a structured editorial taxonomy — Operations, Menu Intel, Marketing, Trends, HR, Profiles (Bars, Restaurants, Hotels, Wholesalers), People (Sommeliers, Bartenders, Producers), Supplier Support, and Award Winners (Wines, Spirits, Beers) — supplemented by an events calendar and a user registration/account system for trade professionals. The editorial archive comprises 222 published articles, with named profiles of high-profile UK operators including Claridge's Emma Denney (UK Sommelier of the Year 2026), The Berkeley's Marcello Cauda, Los Mochis's Michele Orbolato, and Gleneagles Townhouse's Elizabeth Mellish. There is no proprietary AI, mobile app, or API; the technical footprint is conventional web publishing infrastructure operated by a small team of 11-50 employees based in London.

The business model combines a free, content-led audience development motion with competition-related transactions. The publication itself is free to access and monetises indirectly through registered trade professional audiences and newsletter distribution, while the broader BTN ecosystem — which The On-Trade surfaces editorially — generates direct revenue from tiered per-entry competition fees (e.g., London Wine $120-$400 per entry with volume discounts up to 20%; Bartender Spirits Awards $300-$400 per spirit; Asia Wine $120-$140 per wine) across London Wine Competition, London Spirits Competition, Bartender Spirits Awards, Asia Wine Ratings, Asia Spirits Ratings, and the IBWSS trade show. Go-to-market is content-led: editorial coverage of professionals, venues, and competitions is designed to attract and engage UK on-trade professionals, who in turn become a qualified audience for the parent ecosystem's commercial events.

Name

The On-Trade

Legal name

The On-Trade

Website

https://theontrade.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The On-Trade is a UK-focused B2B digital media platform owned by Beverage Trade Network, providing news, profiles, and operational insights for hospitality professionals including sommeliers, bartenders, and venue operators across the British on-trade sector.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality Trade Media

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

akta.pro primary industry

Business, Finance & Industry Trade Magazines (MPAJAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Food, Beverage & Hospitality Trade Shows Organizers (THAHABAI)

Keywords

• Hospitality trade media
• Beverage industry news
• On-trade publishing
• Wine industry coverage
• Bar and restaurant insights

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Subscription/Membership: Platform offers user registration and accounts for trade professionals. The site collects subscriber information for newsletters and updates.
2. Event Promotions: Promotes competitions and events including Asia Spirits Ratings, Bartender Spirits Awards, Asia Wine Ratings, London Wine Competition, and London Spirits Competition. Revenue generated through event entries and participation fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The On-Trade operates a magazine-style digital platform that publishes news, insights, professional profiles, trend analysis, and operational guidance for UK on-trade hospitality professionals (sommeliers, bartenders, wine directors, bar managers, and on-premise beverage buyers). It also runs an events calendar promoting international beverage competitions and is the UK-focused editorial offering of parent company Beverage Trade Network (BTN).

Product overview

The On-Trade is a B2B media and content platform serving the UK drinks on-trade industry, providing news, insights, and educational content for professionals including sommeliers, bartenders, wine directors, and venue operators. The platform also promotes and covers events and competitions organized by its parent company Beverage Trade Network, including the London Wine Competition, London Spirits Competition, Bartender Spirits Awards, Asia Wine Ratings, Asia Spirits Ratings, and IBWSS. The core offering is editorial content covering operations, marketing, trends, and people within the hospitality sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The On-Trade Content Platform A magazine-style digital platform providing news, insights, professional profiles, trend analysis, and operational guidance for UK on-trade professionals including sommeliers, bartenders, wine directors, bar managers, and on-premise buyers. Content is organised across News, Your Business (Operations, Menu Intel, Marketing, Trends, Human Resources), Profiles (Bars, Restaurants, Hotels, Wholesalers), People (Sommeliers, Bartenders, Producers), Supplier Support (Charities, Trade Bodies), and Award Winners (Wines, Spirits, Beers).
• London Wine Competition International wine competition organised by Beverage Trade Network that judges wines on quality, value, and packaging from the perspective of trade buyers. 2027 edition scheduled for 22 March 2027 at St Mary's London.
• London Spirits Competition International spirits competition judged on quality, value, and packaging with global impact, organised by Beverage Trade Network.
• Bartender Spirits Awards

Named customers4 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

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Beverage Trade NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe On-Trade is brought to you by Beverage Trade Network (BTN), the organization behind events including the prestigious London Wine, Beer, and Spirits Competitions, as well as the annual Bulk Wine and Spirits Show. BTN is dedicated to helping producers and brand owners get closer to buyers, distributors, and retailers.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Decanter: Major wine publication with both consumer and trade audiences, including on-trade buyer coverage. Comparable in editorial depth on wine, though broader in scope than The On-Trade's UK-only focus.
• The Caterer: Established UK hospitality trade publication covering hotels, restaurants, and pubs at scale. Broader than The On-Trade but overlaps heavily in on-trade news, profiles, and supplier coverage.

Direct peers

• Drinks International: Long-running global B2B magazine for the alcoholic drinks trade, covering bars, brands, and on-trade trends. Comparable in editorial trade-publication model and audience overlap with on-trade professionals.
• Beverage Daily: Digital B2B news site covering the global beverage industry, including on-trade trends, supplier news, and category analysis. Comparable digital-first B2B model serving drinks industry professionals.
• The Drinks Report: UK drinks industry trade news outlet covering on-premise trends, supplier news, and hospitality operations. Comparable as a UK-focused digital B2B trade publication serving the on-trade.
• Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News: Established UK B2B trade title covering the wine and spirits on-trade with news, analysis, and supplier content. Closely matches The On-Trade's UK on-trade editorial focus and sommelier/buyer readership.
• Bar Magazine: UK trade publication targeting bar operators and bartenders with operational, product, and trend content. Closely mirrors The On-Trade's bartender/bar-manager segment and editorial verticals.
• The Spirits Business: Global B2B spirits trade magazine with strong UK readership, covering producers, brands, bartenders, and on-trade operators. Comparable as a trade-led spirits industry publication with digital content and event coverage.
• Imbibe: UK-based B2B magazine and digital platform for bartenders and on-trade professionals covering drinks trends, people, and venues. Directly comparable to The On-Trade in target audience, content-led model, and on-trade trade-publication positioning.
• Morning Advertiser: UK pub and bar trade title covering the on-premise licensed trade with news, operator profiles, and supplier content. Strongly comparable to The On-Trade's UK on-trade trade-publication positioning and target operators.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 The On-Trade