JDW to ditch Champagne in the run-up to Brexit
It is switching from a range of drinks including Champagne and wheat beers, which are produced in France and Germany.
JDW will replace Champagne with sparkling wines from the UK – Denbies' Whitedowns Brut and Whitedowns Rosé Brut as well as Hardys' sparkling Pinot Chardonnay from Australia.
The pubs will also serve wheat beers from the UK including Blue Moon Belgian White, Thornbridge Versa Weisse Beer and SA Brain Atlantic White.
Broaden horizons
The pub group will continue to serve Kopparberg cider variants including Strawberry & Lime and Mixed Fruit alongside its alcohol-free Strawberry & Lime.
Alcohol-free Adnams Ghost Ship will replace Erdinger alcohol-free beer from Germany.
JDW chairman Tim Martin said: “This move helps us to broaden our horizons so we create an improved offer for the 2m customers who visit our pubs each week.
“It is the start of a review of all products in the next six to 24 months, with the object of making our business more competitive."
Existing contracts
He added: “We intend to honour existing contracts with EU suppliers, some of which have several years to run.”
Meanwhile, with almost one third (30%) of food eaten in the UK currently coming from the EU, post-Brexit trade barriers are threatening to disrupt supply and as a result, push prices up, meaning pubs might have to charge more for their food, a new report has found.
The Brexit Food Prices and Availability Report from the House of Lords’ EU energy and environment sub-committee outlined that being part of the EU customs union has meant food from the EU can be imported without any tariffs or custom barriers.
