The retailer is understood to be among a number of bidders participating in an auction for Majestic, which has been put up for sale by owner Fortress Investment Group, according to Sky News.
Join our new WhatsApp channel: The Morning Round-Up
Get the biggest pub trade stories straight to your phone. Listen to our one-minute daily news briefing and receive breaking news, exclusives and sector updates throughout the day. Remember to turn notifications on in the top right corner!
Join the channel here.
Majestic Wine Group currently comprises four divisions – its retail business, on-trade supplier Majestic Commercial, premium wine and spirits distributor Enotria and wine bar operator Vagabond – all of which are understood to be included in the sales package.
However, no deal has been agreed and the structure or value of any potential transaction remains unclear.
Growing presence
Last year, Majestic completed its acquisition of premium wines and spirits distributor Enotria&Coe as part of plans to grow its presence in the on-trade.
At the time, the business said Enotria and Majestic Commercial would continue operating as standalone businesses. Enotria supplies restaurants, hotels and hospitality venues across the UK.
Majestic also acquired Vagabond Wines out of administration in April 2024, securing nine venues and more than 170 jobs.
It has subsequently invested significantly in the experiential wine bar business, including opening its flagship 6,000sq ft urban winery and bar in London’s Canada Water in December 2025.
The potential acquisition would add Majestic’s hospitality operations to Tesco’s existing exposure to the on-trade through wholesaler Booker.
Continued investment
Tesco completed its £3.7bn acquisition of Booker in 2018, with the wholesaler having since continued to invest in its drinks offer.
In June 2024, Booker acquired on-trade drinks wholesaler Venus Wine & Spirits Merchants as part of plans to grow its wholesale and hospitality operations.
Venus supplies more than 3,000 wines, beers, spirits and soft drinks to customers across the hospitality sector.
Neither Tesco, Majestic or Fortress had commented on the reported sale process at the time of publication.
Tesco has also previously dipped its toe into hospitality through temporary pop-ups, including taking over the Castle pub in Farringdon for the King’s coronation in 2023 and opening a two-day Clubcard-themed nightclub in London in 2025.
