Majestic, the UK’s largest specialist wine retailer, today revealed details of a brand new national TV campaign hitting screens this Christmas – aimed at turning their real life “staff into on-screen stars”. The advert will premiere this November across a range of channels, and marks the retailer’s first television commercial in almost a decade. 

Set in one of Majestics newest stores, and featuring colleagues playing themselves, the advert follows a couple as they prepare to fill up their trolley with wines ahead of the festive season. The store team mischievously guide the pair to the perfect bottle, and in the process jump out from behind Christmas trees, blow party poppers and provide tasting samples. 

The television advert is part of a wider campaign which also includes radio, billboards and digital. Following a year of unprecedented growth, Majestic is aiming to showcase what makes the business special – by focusing on their trademark blend of colleague expertise, approachable fun and unrivaled service.

The inspiration behind the advert came from a real life shopping trip for Majestic Customer Director, Matthew Gaunt, who wanted to recreate the experience on screen. 

“Whenever we speak to our customers and ask them what they love about Majestic, they always say their store teams. I know first hand how important that is – I won’t buy a bottle without consulting my local store team first! We have over 1000 trained colleagues more than any other retailer  and they make the difference and have done over the last 40 years, helping consumers discover and learn about wine.” He explains.

“So when we came to create our Christmas campaign, we wanted to really celebrate and shout-about those Majestic moments. People love their local stores, the expert advice they get in there and the un-stuffy experience they have. That’s what shopping for wine should be – and that’s what we wanted to showcase in our first ad for many years”. 

From sherry for nanna, to the perfect red for turkey – the advert shows the answer to real life Christmas wine decisions, the kind of conversations Majestic store managers have every day in December. 

Majestic store manager, and one of the star’s of the advert, Simone Amato added:

“It was fantastic to be a part of the shoot and to have a day doing what we do best; having fun and selling great wines! I think it’s so important to show the human side of the business, the experience our customers get and the way we interact with them. We know this Christmas our customers are really going to want to spoil themselves after another difficult year. So whilst I can’t wait to see myself on screen, I’m looking forward to having those face to face interactions even more. Hopefully, that way, we can make sure we give a Majestic Christmas to as many customers as possible!”

The Majestic TV advert will air from November 2021, and will run on a range of channels over a six week period. 

The post Majestic’s First Christmas Ad Aims To Turn Colleagues Into Stars first appeared on .

Majestic Wine’s board of directors will this September be taking on a cycling challenge which will take them from the company’s most southern store in England, Majestic Falmouth, to beyond Hadrian’s Wall right the way to Majestic Edinburgh. All with the aim of raising money toward the retailer’s charity of the year – the Brain Tumour Charity. 

The 700+ mile route will be tackled virtually by Majestic’s eight retail directors in just 24 hours, on static bikes in the company’s head office in Watford. A team of four will begin the route in Edinburgh, with the other board members coming north from Falmouth – before ‘meeting’ at Majestic’s newest store – Knutsford. 

Training has already started in earnest for the amateur cyclists, with bottles of wine, charity sponsorship, detailed fitness regimes and personal pride all being used as incentives to put in the miles. Each member of the team will be expected to cycle over 120kms each – with a full team of physios, camera crews and emergency sommeliers on stand-by at the event on 16th and 17th of September. 

The challenge is being created with the aim of raising as much money as possible for Majestic’s 2021 Charity of the Year – the Brain Tumour Charity. Nominated by a colleague who is living with a tumour, the whole Majestic team are digging deep in various ways to hit a record total for the cause – particularly after such a difficult year for the fundraising sector. 

Majestic CEO, and the man who devised the challenge, John Colley said:

“We’ve seen some great fundraising initiatives across the Majestic business this year – and I knew we had to do something big at the board level too! So I challenged my team to go above and beyond and, to be fair to them, they’ve embraced it totally. We’re under no illusions that this is going to be tough and there’ll be some real soreness at the end of it all. But hopefully we’ll raise a heck of a lot of money too!”

Gina Almond, Director of Fundraising at The Brian Tumour Charity, said: 

“Brain tumours still kill more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer in the UK. Of those that do survive, quality of life for many is severely impaired and late effects are heart-breaking for far too many families.

“We are unashamedly ambitious in our goals to double the survival and halve the harm that brain tumours have on quality of life. We can’t wait to cheer on John and the Majestic board – and we’re really excited to see just how much they can raise!”

We’d love you to sponsor them at : https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/majesticwineletourdestores 

Who is taking part?

• John Colley – CEO
• Robert Cooke – CCO
• Alex Jablonowski – CFO
• Sue Roberts – Supply Chain Director
• Keith Blessley – Retail Director
• Matthew Gaunt – Customer Director
• Jacqui Rouse – HR Director
• Nick Workman – IT Director

The post “Le Tour De Store” – Majestic Directors Take On Epic Cycling Challenge first appeared on .

We’re delighted to reveal details of our updated Majestic branch in Winchester, Hampshire!

Almost doubling in size, we’ve expanded into the site next door to facilitate a host of brilliant new features including a brand new and expanded fine wine section, a large dedicated tasting area, massively increased stock holding and an enlarged stock room for our on-trade customers.

Store Manager Chloe Boulter, alongside CEO John Colley and our Retail Director Keith Blessley enjoyed getting to meet some of the locals over a glass of fizz as our ribbon cutting ceremony this weekend – and you’ll find plenty of great bottles in-store to taste over the coming days and weeks too.

The post Customers Toast ‘New’ Winchester Store first appeared on .

All 201 Majestic stores will be opening late this Monday, as staff are given an extra couple of hours to recoup after a busy, football filled month. From 5pm on Sunday, doors will not be reopened until 12 noon on the 12th July, with staff being encouraged to have a lie in, sleep off the excesses of an emotional night – or just take an hour or two to enjoy breakfast and time with friends and family. 

Sunday night marks a landmark moment in the nation’s history – and one Majestic’s Board were keen to mark with a special thank you to the company’s 1,300 colleagues. The teams in Majestic’s 25 non-English stores will also be given the time away from work, alongside time off earlier in the month to enjoy their nation’s respective games. 

The retailer is also bracing itself for record numbers of English Sparkling Wine being sold this weekend in the build up to the game. Although, of course, this may not have the same impact in Majestic’s Scottish and Welsh stores – where Italian fizz is expected to be given a significant boost. 

Majestic’s CEO John Colley explained why the company had taken the decision:

“Regardless of the result, or whether or not you even like football, Sunday marks an amazing opportunity for us to safely get together and reconnect. After an incredibly turbulent and demanding 18 months, our staff completely deserve to blow the cobwebs away in style. So whether or not they’ll be supporting England this weekend, I hope they manage to pop some corks – and enjoy a lie in, or some extra time to themselves however they choose to spend it.

Personally, I am beyond excited – and I know plenty of our staff are too! So it felt only right to make sure they could enjoy it fully”

Majestic also apologised for any inconvenience the move may cause for customers, and added that stores will be open as usual at 10am on Tuesday morning.

The post “It’s Coming… Rhône?” – Majestic Stores To Open Late This Monday first appeared on .

The International Wine Challenge, the world’s most influential, impartial and rigorously judged wine
competition, brought the UK wine industry together at a live awards evening on Wednesday 30th
June to celebrate the winners of this year’s competition. Majestic Wine scooped both the National Merchant of the Year and Consumer Campaign of the Year at the 2021

The double win marks marks Majestic first major triumph at the awards for three years, including the first time their marketing had been called out for an award.

As a first time winner of the National Merchant award, the judges recognised Majestic for their “extremely busy year implementing all-round improvements across service, training and their drinks range. The changes, along with a new website, reflect the passion of the business and investment in its future success.”

The Consumer Campaign prize was awarded for Majestic’s ‘The List for Spring’; a marketing campaign which ran across digital, stores, direct mail and included the retailer’s first ever ‘virtual catalogue’. This featured supplier and colleague videos and the ability to shop directly via a clickable brochure.

Speaking at the awards ceremony held at the Kia Oval Cricket Ground, Majestic CEO John Colley said :

“We are over the moon to have received such prestigious recognition from the IWC team and judges, so firstly a big thank you to them. The last year has been incredibly tough for all of us in the wine industry, and we are immensely grateful to our colleagues, suppliers and – of course – customers who have supported us throughout. This is a huge team win, and every single member of our Majestic family owns a part of it.

We know there’s plenty more that we can do at Majestic to continue to our journey, and ensure we can are the UK’s National Merchant for year’s to come.”

In a release from the IWC, Helen McGinn, Co-Chair and IWC UK Merchant Awards judge commented that: ‘It’s always
important to take stock and recognise the brilliant work of people behind the wonderful industry we
work in, and this year even more so. We were blown away with the entries we received and the
support, collaboration and innovation that so many businesses have brought to the industry this
year.’

The post Double Win For Majestic At International Wine Challenge first appeared on .

Natalie Faulkner, who works in the Majestic Wine Stockport branch, was inspired to nominate the charity after her own brain tumour diagnosis.

All of Majestic’s 200 stores and 1,300 staff will be part of this fundraising campaign, with a calendar of events, tastings and activities in support of the partnership.

Every year, Majestic raise funds for a selected Charity of the Year partner across their stores, depot and Support Centre. The cause is selected via a colleague-wide vote, which this year was won by The Brain Tumour Charity.

It’s an area which is close to the hearts of a number of the company’s colleagues, many of whom have had personal experience of living with brain tumours themselves, or having friends, families and loved ones affected. Across the Majestic business, all staff are now focused on raising as much money as possible for the charity across a host of fun, exciting and powerful activities.

Natalie Faulkner, from Manchester, works in the Stockport branch of Majestic and has personal experience of brain tumours. “I was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2017. Despite having a craniotomy, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, there is nothing more they can do to remove or shrink my tumour.

I am now a person living with a brain tumour. Research into brain tumours is massively underfunded, and survival rates are just 11%. I was given no guidance of where to go for any support relating specifically to my diagnosis.

“Being aware of The Brain Tumour Charity would have made a dramatic change to the difficulties myself and my family faced throughout my journey.

“All this needs to change, that’s why I nominated The Brain Tumour Charity to be Majestic Wine’s Charity of the year. I want to spread awareness about this charity and together make a real difference to the research and support they offer.”

Majestic CEO, John Colley said: “At Majestic, we’re incredibly proud to be partnering with the Brain Tumour Charity to help support the 88,000 people living with a brain tumour in the UK, including those who work within our business or are personally affected by this devastating condition.

“Across the business we’re going to be aiming to raise as much money as possible in 2021 to help fund and support the charity’s vital work, and I know this is something our colleagues and customers alike are keen to get started with.

“From tasting events, to sweepstakes and competitions – we’re aiming to make this our biggest ever charity fundraising campaign at Majestic in our forty year history. After an incredibly difficult year for all of us, we’ll be working harder than ever to help support research, care and drive urgent change in this vitally important area.

“Our aim is to make this the biggest ever fundraising campaign in Majestic’s forty year history, to help support the vital work the Brain Tumour Charity does in supporting research, care and support to people affected by brain tumours.”

Gina Almond, Director of Fundraising at The Brian Tumour Charity, said: “Brain tumours still kill more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer in the UK. Of those that do survive, quality of life for many is severely impaired and late effects are heart-breaking for far too many families.

“We are unashamedly ambitious in our goals to double the survival and halve the harm that brain tumours have on quality of life, and the partnership with Majestic will be invaluable in helping us to achieve these by reaching a wider audience and raising vital awareness.

“We are especially proud and grateful to have their support to help fund our world-class research and carry on all our work to accelerate a cure for this devastating disease.”

The post Majestic partners with The Brain Tumour Charity as Charity of the Year first appeared on .

Majestic Wine’s Chief Executive, John Colley, has won a Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award honouring the Top CEOs in 2021.  Glassdoor, the worldwide leader in insights about jobs and companies, released its annual award recognising the Top CEOs, which highlights top leaders that employees love working for in countries throughout North America and parts of Europe.

Among chief executives recognised by employees in the UK, John received an impressive approval rating based on the anonymous and voluntary reviews Majestic Wine employees shared on Glassdoor throughout the past year.

 “I am delighted to be recognised as one of the UK’s top CEOs, but I am under no illusions that this represents an individual award. The last 18 months have been incredibly tough for all of us, and at Majestic it has coincided with a period of unprecedented transformation and change too since our change in ownership. I am proud to lead such as passionate, agile and much-loved company – and I know we are all just going to get stronger and stronger.” said winning company CEO.

“Company leaders around the world felt the ground shake as COVID-19 threatened the health, safety and wellbeing of employees and laid a new foundation for the future of work,” said Christian Sutherland-Wong, Glassdoor chief executive officer. “Through a challenging year, it’s inspiring to see Top CEOs who, according to their employees, adapted to change, redefined visions and led transparently while putting the health and safety of employees at the forefront. I extend my sincerest congratulations to this year’s exceptional Employees’ Choice Award winners.” 

When employees submit reviews about their employer on Glassdoor, they are asked to rate several factors tied to their employment experience. These include rating sentiment around their CEO’s leadership as well as around senior management, among others. Specifically, when rating their CEO on Glassdoor, employees are asked to report whether they approve or disapprove of or have no opinion about their CEO’s performance.

Across the approximately 1.5 million employers reviewed on Glassdoor, the average CEO approval rating is 73 percent.

The post Majestic’s John Colley Named A Glassdoor Top CEO first appeared on .

After six month hiatus, free tastings are now back on the menu in Majestic Wine stores across the UK. The move follows the easing of lockdown measures, inline with the reopening of in-door hospitality, something which both customers and colleagues at the retailer have been keen to see return – in a safe environment.

The ability to taste a range of wines, beer and spirits – free of charge – in any branch of the country’s largest specialist drinks retailer has been a hallmark of the business for over forty years. Majestic estimates it opens over 200,000 bottles a year just for the purpose of allowing customers the chance to try a range of options.

With over 450 new wines launched to Majestic in the last 12 months, plus an updated range of beers, spirits and ciders, the move to return to free tasting means customers can expect to see plenty of bottles open to try for the first time in the coming weeks.

To enjoy free tasting in any Majestic store, customers need only head to the designated Tasting Counter in any branch. There they can try any of these wines which have been handpicked by the store team for tasting, either independently or with one of Majestic’s WSET trained expert staff.

The post Free Tastings Back On At Majestic first appeared on .

Majestic Wine, the UK’s largest specialist retailer, is offering customers a year’s supply of wine if they help them to find new sites for future stores as part of a renewed commitment to bricks and mortar retail.

Following recent store openings in Beaconsfield, Beckenham and Henley, Majestic is now eyeing up new locations for future stores – and is enlisting the Great British public to help find them. 

Although 88% of the UK’s population already live within 10 miles of one of Majestic’s 200 national stores, the retailer is keen to continue to improve their estate – with a shortlist of 37 locations, including 15 within the M25, identified for further expansion. 

Prospective store locations need to meet a number of criteria (including available parking, proximity to a main road and be within one of the listed 35 locations) to be considered. 

The full list of sites and requirements are on the PDF below, and above out T&Cs. If you believe you have found a potential site, please fill in the form at the bottom of this post – after reading through our Terms & Conditions.

Only applicants who fill in the below form will be able to claim their supply of wine. Please do not contact our agents or Property Team directly.

T&Cs

‘Years Supply of Wine’ awarded upon opening of Majestic store on location submitted by members of the public. The prize will be awarded upon the opening and successful trading of the new store. 

‘Years Supply of Wine’ to constitute monthly delivery of 6 bottles of wine, up to the value of £80 per delivery (at Single Bottle price).  Entrants must be 18 or over. This offer is non-refundable or exchangeable. 

This is not open to Majestic colleagues – for further information on how you can submit potential sites please contact your Regional or Area Manager. 

To submit a suggested new Majestic site, based on the above criteria and within one of our target areas, please fill in this form.

The post Majestic Offer Year’s Supply Of Wine To Help Find New Store Locations first appeared on .

Majestic has finished rebranding over 20 of their stores to bring them in-line with the company’s new direction. The move affects 10% of their nationwide estate and is part of a wider strategy based around improving their physical presence, as the UK emerges from lockdown. 

The sites, which are scattered across the country including in Edinburgh, London, Manchester, Harrogate and elsewhere, had been adapted to a vibrant pink colour with wine glass logo by the company’s previous management – under a controversial rebranding exercise. The new Majestic branding, including a return to the grape bunch motif and a slate colour scheme, had been extensively researched through customer focus groups before being voted on by Majestic colleagues last Autumn. 

One store, Majestic Wine Wakefield, has now received it’s third rebrand in just three years; moving from original Majestic, to a short lived ‘Naked Wines’ conversion, before being turned pink only to now be finally back in original dark grey and green livery.

The 40 year old retailer is keen to reaffirm its commitment to bricks and mortar retail, with further revamps of existing stores expected throughout the year to add features such as shelving, new tasting counters and fine wine areas, alongside extra infrastructure to act as delivery hubs for its Commercial business. 

There is also a pipeline for new store openings, including in Knutsford, Oxford Summertown set for the coming months, and a full refurbishment and creation of a fine wine centre in Winchester this summer. These follow recent successful launches in Beaconsfield, Henley and Beckenham. 

CEO John Colley said:

“We firmly believe that our stores offer an experience you simply cannot get elsewhere. As the country emerges from COVID, we want to ensure we’re on the front foot and continue to offer all the brilliant tastings, expert advice and unbeatable range which people associate with Majestic. That means having stores which really look the part too, in locations we’re proud to be. We now have a clear strategy, brand and vision for what that looks like – and are ready to put our turbulent past behind us. We’re excited by the next chapter for high street retail and our new stores play a key role in bringing this to life across the UK.”

The post Majestic Complete Rebrand Of Over 20 Pink Stores first appeared on .

As pubs across England reopen their doors for the first time this year, the teams at Majestic Commercial reveal how they’ve been working behind the scenes to prepare for the resumption of hospitality. From refreshing wine lists, to increasing staff training, the on-trade arm of the UK’s largest specialist wine retailer is keen to be proactive and fully behind the nationwide bars, restaurants and venues which choose to get their bottles from Majestic. 

Here, three of Majestic Commercial’s Heads of Sales talk us through how they’ve been preparing for the reopening – and what steps they’ve taken over previous lockdowns to ensure they’re on the front foot as kegs are spiked, and corks are popped across the UK.

With pubs and bars now open, what steps have we made at Majestic Commercial to prep for the restart?

Allen Martindale, Head of Sales London says:

“We’ve been working really hard over the last few months to be ready for when the brilliant establishments we trade with open up. It’s about the fast start and our team’s approach. It’s a real mindset shift, I feel like we’re sprinters on the starting line, waiting for the B of the Bang!”

Joe Beveridge, Head of Sales North & East adds:

“We have been in constant contact with all of our existing customers – planning with them when they are reopening, letting them know about our new wines, and making their wine list as on point as possible. 

We have been flexible with payment plans when suitable, and let them return stock so their range is fighting fit for returning punters. Plus we have 21 new and refreshed wines joining the portfolio from Italy and South Africa and the rest of our range is available in volume, which is also great news!”

Many people may not even be aware of the Majestic Commercial arm, or that we have a nationwide on-trade offering for pubs, bars and restaurants. What improvements have we made to this part of the business over lockdown? 

For Joe, it’s been all about focusing on what their customers want most.

“The great thing about being the on-trade arm of the Majestic family is that we have all the benefits of being part of the nation’s number one wine merchant – but with a laser focus on providing brilliant wines to be consumed in brilliant places. 

There’s been some key changes we’ve made, like improving the range, amending the roles and responsibilities and updating our focus as a team to be accounts we can build long-term relationships with.”

Allen thinks that, although the last few months have been incredible hard, the future could be very exciting for Majestic Commercial. 

“We have some very clear plans for Commercial now, it’s really exciting to be a part of and to be aiming to target future growth too. We’ve worked more closely than ever with our retail colleagues over the last few months and it really feels like an exciting new chapter is about to be written.” 

How has it been working in the on-trade arm of Majestic during a lockdown? 

Tim Beck, Head of Sales for the Midlands, believes maintaining key relationships when times are hard, as well as good, is key.

“We know how hard it’s been out there, and our store teams and Commercial colleagues have been aiming to be supportive and understanding. I would hope that for the vast majority of our customers, our customer-supplier relationship will have been enhanced by the last year.

I’ve also got lots of stores and customers that I’m looking forward to visiting for the first time. You really miss that sense of interaction and relationship building – it’s something Zoom cannot quite replace.“

For Allen, it’s been a chance to work alongside the retail team to revamp the Commercial proposition – with range as a key focus.

“A big one for me is the way we think and work with all the wines we have available to us. Wines in stores are no longer ‘retail wines’ they’re simply ‘our wines’ – we also then have a range that is exclusive to Commercial customers. This will be a different way of working as things open up”

And finally. Where will you be having your first pint/glass of wine? 

Joe: “I’ll be supporting my local pub, sat in the beer garden in blazing April sunshine. I haven’t persuaded them (yet) to list a Vinho Verde, so a pint of cask beer will have to suffice. I can picture it now… “

Allen: “I went to the Horseshoe Inn, Bermondsey last July, it’s a great customer of ours with a decent beer garden. This time I think I’ll head into central London because it’s been so empty for so long, maybe a Guinness at the Toucan in Soho Square. “

Tim: “Now that we are coming out of the dark depths of winter and into better weather, I think bike rides with my 3 year old son on the back will be back on the cards. The route that we normally take goes right past my local pub which happens to have a very child friendly garden. Once that garden is open it would be criminal not to stop and let my son go on the slides. As he is tearing around enjoying the ‘pub, pub, pub’ as he calls it, I will be sipping a local IPA… Can’t wait.“

Find out more about Majestic Commercial here.

The post Majestic Commercial On The Front Foot As Hospitality Reopens first appeared on .

Majestic, the UK’s largest specialist wine retailer, have reopened the doors of their recently transformed flagship store in Clapham, as part of a key strategy to invest in physical stores for future growth.

The store, which takes up the ground floor of a 1920s art-deco cinema, is one of the most eye-catching in the 200 strong portfolio. Not only was the branch brought up to a high standard, with a new tasting counter, extensive fine wine area and shelving through, we also put in a large extension which will serve as a stockroom for the store and Commercial team. 

In a first for the retailer, the Clapham team were able to continue to serve customers throughout the refit programme, thanks to the use of a self contained ‘pop-up shop’, featuring a reduced core range of products for walk-in customers. The small format Majestic has proven immensely successful with customers, and will likely be part of future refurbishment plans for the specialist across the country. It was supplied by Rapid Retail.

Speaking following the soft reopening of the store, CEO John Colley said

“Clapham is one of our oldest, and most important, stores. It was incredibly important for us to bring it up to scratch for our customers. We felt an obligation to them, and to the wonderful building itself, to create a store which we can be proud of, which is exciting to shop it and showcases our bottles beautifully. With a host of new features, alongside our sharp new branding, I think we’ve done just that.”

“I’d also like to say a big thank you to our Property Teams for working through a number of tricky issues to make this a reality. Plus a special shout-out to our store manager Anani and the team, who have not only done a brilliant job of serving customers throughout in our mini-Majestic – but they’ve proven what a great tool having a moveable presence can be.”

The post Majestic Refits Flagship Store Supported By First Ever Pop-Up first appeared on .

Much to the delight of customers knocking on the doors from 8am this morning, we’re delighted to announce the opening of our latest new store in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire!

The new Beaconsfield store is a slightly larger unit than the average Majestic site, situated in the center of the affluent market town on Penn Road.

The latest branch also features an enlarged dedicated fine wine section, a new style tasting counter and revamped branding. It will also act as a hub store for Majestic Commercial, the retailers on-trade business to business arm. The building, which for years was a car showroom, now hosts thousands upon thousands of beers, wines and spirits – all ready to be discovered by local residents.

Beaconsfield is a location Majestic has been keen to open a store in for almost three decades. This new branch, together with the recently opened Henley store, fits into a wider store opening strategy for the retailer. 

Whilst free tastings and events were currently off the menu, new store manager Jake is keen to get to know his locals tastes and habits – particularly with the newly improved range available within the store.

Speaking at the store opening this morning, Majestic CEO John Colley said:

“We are absolutely delighted to finally be here in Beaconsfield! The welcome we’ve had has been fantastic and it’s an area we’ve long been looking to open a store in. You could really sense this morning how excited our customers were to get in and explore the range – and I’m sure it’s going to be a brilliant spot for us“

Majestic staff have been offered a bounty of £1,000 to find potential new sites in certain white space locations  which fit their warehouse-come-store model. The retailer is also focusing on refitting a large number of key sites – including the flagship Clapham store, which is due to reopen this month, and removing the pink branding as introduced during the Naked era.

“Whilst some retailers have seen the last year as a reason to retreat from face to face retail, we’re doing quite the opposite. Our stores have done an incredible job of serving our customers throughout, introducing hundreds of thousands of new shoppers to our fantastic business and fulfilling record home deliveries with their vans. We are extraordinarily proud of the role our colleagues have played in this, and they have done it safely and with their customary passion and service levels.”

The post Majestic Beaconsfield Doors Opened first appeared on .

This World Blood Cancer Day (28 May), DKMS will be hosting Wine & Cheese with DKMS, a live interactive virtual tasting which will celebrate the perfect match of wine and cheese – and the life-saving matches of blood stem cell donors with people fighting blood cancer or blood disorders.

DKMS are delighted to be joined by much-loved wine expert, and star of BBC’s Saturday Kitchen, Olly Smith, who will be leading the event and sharing his world renowned expertise to help attendees find the perfect wines to match with cheese. Olly will also be answering your questions live, so this is sure to be an entertaining and informative evening.

You can also taste along with Olly by ordering a case of wines from Majestic. The full details are below – and if you contact your local store to request the “DKMS Case” you will also receive a further 10% discount and free delivery.

The event, which will be free to attend via DKMS YouTube & Facebook channels, will last one hour during which Olly will talk you through five different wines – each easily available and affordable. The recommended ‘wine list’ and suggested cheese pairings will be available prior to the event so you can stock up!

Whilst the event is free to join, we are asking that you help us turn Olly’s perfect matches into lifesaving matches by making a donation to DKMS while enjoying your evening.

Olly said: “I am delighted to be working with DKMS on this brilliant campaign. They are a fantastic charity doing incredible lifesaving work, and I’m proud to be playing my part in the fight against blood cancer. We’re going to have great fun, enjoy some delicious wine and cheese, and maybe learn a thing or two along the way – all whilst raising much needed funds for this important cause.”

International wine judge Helen McGinn is also backing the campaign. Hugely respected for her wine expertise in TV and in print, Helen spent ten years as a supermarket buyer sourcing wines around the world, before setting up her award-winning blog (and now best-selling wine book) The Knackered Mother’s Wine Club. She is the drinks writer for the Daily Mail’s Femail Magazine and regularly appears on TV’s Saturday Kitchen and This Morning. 

Helen said: “This is an incredibly important cause, and I am proud to support the work that DKMS do in finding matching blood stem cell donors for people fighting blood cancer. This event is sure to be a lot of fun with Olly at the helm, and it’s not every day you’re able to say you are playing your part in helping to save lives with a glass of wine in hand”.

Every 20 minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with blood cancer. Often their only hope of survival is a blood stem cell transplant from a stranger. DKMS works to add as many potential life-savers to the global stem cell register, so that more patients in need can find their perfect stem cell match. 

Adding each potential life saver to the register costs DKMS £40 – and the charity rely on the generosity of supporters and fundraisers to help fund its work. That’s where you (and wine and cheese) come in! By taking part in this event, you’ll be helping to give more people with blood cancer and blood disorders a second chance at life.

Wine & Cheese with DKMS will take place at 6pm on 28 May, live via DKMS’ Facebook and YouTube channels. For more information, and to register your interest, please visit dkms.org.uk/wine. 

The wines featured in the DKMS Case:

1. Pasqua ‘Romeo & Juliet’ Prosecco DOC Brut, Treviso: https://www.majestic.co.uk/sparkling-wines/prosecco-romeo-juliet-23060
2. Villemarin Picpoul: https://www.majestic.co.uk/wines/villemarin-picpoul-de-pinet-10001
3. Yalumba Y Series Viognier: https://www.majestic.co.uk/wines/yalumba-y-series-viognier-1953
4. CVNE Rioja Reserva: https://www.majestic.co.uk/wines/rioja-reserva-14171
5. Santa Rita Medalla Real Carmenere: https://www.majestic.co.uk/wines/santa-rita-medalla-real-carmenere-39250
6. Viñalba Malbec/Touriga: https://www.majestic.co.uk/wines/vialba-malbec-touriga-nacional-reserve-40084

You can contact your local store to request the wines and receive a further 10% discount for the event, plus free delivery. Please either email or phone your local Majestic branch, and quote “DKMS Case”. 

To find your local stores details please head to here – https://www.majestic.co.uk/stores.

The post Join Olly Smith For A Special Wine & Cheese Tasting To Raise Money For DKMS first appeared on .

We are saddened to hear of the passing of Majestic’s former Trading Director, Tony Mason. All the thoughts and best wishes of everyone at Majestic goes to Tony’s family and friends at this deeply sad time. 

Tony was fundamental to the creation and success of Majestic for almost three decades. As the founder of our first store in Haringey, and a key figure in the later rescue buy-out of Majestic in 1991 following his creation and integration of ‘Wizard Wine’, much of our early history as a company is down to his innovation, tenacity and support. 

As Trading Director between 1989 – 2005, Tony oversaw some of the most successful and ambitious years of the Majestic story. Responsible for our offer and range, he was instrumental in establishing the specialist credentials of Majestic at a time of rapid expansion. Under his steerage, our stores were bolstered with 130,000 cases of aged Bordeaux bought from Swedish royalty, pioneered new ranges and regions (many of which are now best-sellers across the UK) and developed our fine wine offer.

Tony’s career in wine began with what was supposed to be a temporary summer job, working as a cellar hand at the age of 17 in 1962. Over 50 years later, Tony was widely recognised as one of the longest serving members of the trade, and ‘the canniest buyer’ in the industry. Above all else, Tony’s legacy at Majestic is his approach to wine. He championed what he described as “sausage wines” – bottles with a rustic, approachable quality which would be ideal with bangers – and had an unerring eye for an opportunity.

Current CEO, John Colley:

“Tony was part of the very fabric of Majestic for much of our history. He was pivotal in establishing the company nationwide, with much of what was, and remains, great about Majestic originating from him. From buying unique parcels, to pioneering our very first store over 40 years ago, we remain immensely grateful for his contribution and are deeply saddened to hear of Tony’s passing. All of our best wishes go to Hilary and Tony’s family at this difficult time”. 

(Tony, pictured far right, at the opening of the 100th Majestic store with Tim How and John Apthorpe)

The post Remembering Tony Mason, Majestic’s Founder first appeared on .

All Majestic stores will close at 4pm this Sunday to accommodate the world’s biggest ever blind tasting, with all 1,300 Majestic colleagues – plus partners and family – invited to take part.

The event, which will be carried out virtually, will feature four different unlabelled samples (plus accompanying nibbles), and will be run by a special mystery celebrity guest. With over 1,600 people expected to take part, the event will be the largest blind tasting ever held on record. 

With two red and two white wines on taste, the organisers are promising a ‘fiendishly tricky’ tasting for Majestic colleagues – which will test their extensive WSET credentials. The vintages featured are all stalwarts of the retailer’s range and have been specially rebottled into airtight packages by BlindFaith (an online tasting event specialist) before being distributed across the 200 store estate. 

Staff will then be able to vote on which wine they believe is the correct grape or region – with some special awards for winning picks.

As well as the tasting, the evening will also feature special ‘Majestic Awards’ for colleagues, alongside a number of recognitions for wines from the range – as voted for by staff. The results of these will be shared on social media. Also joining the event will be a second mystery guest, this time a Britain’s Got Talent winner, providing some further entertainment for Majestic staff. 

The whole evening replaces Majestic’s usual staff Christmas Party, historically a large event which would see all colleagues from across the country descend on a party location to let off steam. With the current situation clearly putting a stop to any physical meet-ups, the team behind the event has been keen to put together a rosta which will still recognise and reward staff for their efforts throughout 2020 – even without being able to share bottles in person. 

“It’s incredibly sad that we can’t get together as one Majestic team this year, but obviously everyone’s safety is far more important” explains CEO John Colley.

“However, I’m really excited about the event we have been able to put together for our colleagues. Even I don’t know what the wines are – so I’m really looking forward to closing the shop doors on Sunday and testing my taste buds against all 1000 plus of our colleagues! After an incredibly tough year, we all need to blow off some steam. I couldn’t be prouder of everyone at Majestic’s efforts, and I’m really looking forward to popping some corks this weekend and celebrating their incredible success.” 

The post Majestic Stores To Close Early This Sunday For Record-Breaking Wine Tasting And Award Ceremony first appeared on .

Majestic Wine has been recognised with a Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award, as one the Best Places to Work in 2020. Coming in at number 19 in the Top 50, the UK’s largest wine specialist is the highest ranked retailer on the list. 

Unlike other awards, there is no self-nomination or application process, instead it’s entirely based on the feedback our employees have voluntarily and anonymously shared on Glassdoor. To determine the winners of the awards, Glassdoor evaluates all company reviews shared by employees over the past year. This year, we are proud to be recognized as a Best Place to Work among UK companies with more than 1,000 employees. 

This is the first time Majestic has made the top 50, and follows a transformational 2020 for the business which has seen a renewed emphass placed on staff development and recognition – against the backdrop of COVID. This has included the roll-out of a further 300 WSET qualifications for staff, and increased recruitment across the 200 strong store estate. 

John Colley, Majestic CEO, said :

“I am incredibly proud of the whole Majestic team for gaining this recognition. We know what a difficult year it’s been across the board. The ‘we’re in this together’ culture at Majestic has been a core part of our business for over forty years now. And it’s never been stronger after the events of the previous months. It’s fantastic to see that, alongside some of the extra support and initiatives we’ve put in this year, we are recognised by such a prestigious award, I also really hope it inspires more aspiring-wine lovers to come and join our growing team“.

“COVID-19 is in the driver’s seat and every employer has been impacted. This year’s winning employers have proven, according to employees, that even during extraordinary times, they’ll rise to the challenge to support their people,” said Christian Sutherland-Wong, Glassdoor chief executive officer. 

“A mission-driven culture, transparent leadership and career opportunities are always hallmarks of Best Places to Work winners. This year, we also see exceptional employers who have prioritised the health, safety and well-being of their employees.”

On Glassdoor, current and former employees voluntarily and anonymously share insights and opinions about their work environments by sharing a company review, designed to capture a genuine and authentic inside look at what a specific job may be like at a particular company. When sharing a company review on Glassdoor, employees are asked to rate their satisfaction with the company overall, and key workplace factors like career opportunities, compensation and benefits, culture and values, senior management and work/life balance. In addition, employees are asked to describe the best reasons to work at their companies as well as any downsides.

For the complete list of the Glassdoor Best Places to Work winners in 2021, please visit: https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Award/Best-Places-to-Work-UK-LST_KQ0,22.htm

The post Majestic Highest Ranked Retailer At Glassdoor’s ‘Top 50 Places To Work In 2020’ first appeared on .

Majestic Wine are to give all members of staff two extra days off across the festive season, as a thank you for their extraordinary hard work throughout 2020. The retailer made the decision following ‘an unprecedented Christmas period’, with staff pulling out all the stops to serve customers – whilst operating under ever changing COVID-safe environments. 

As such, all 200 Majestic branches nationwide will be closed on the 27th December and 2nd January (on top of the 25th, 26th and 1st) – meaning over 1,000 colleagues will have two extra days at home.

The move follows a transformative year for the retailer, with a series of new initiatives undertaken such as; new store openings, significant range changes and a rebrand. All against the backdrop of COVID. 

Majestic revealed earlier in the year they had seen record new customer numbers and online sales over the lockdown periods, with more at home consumption during this time. However, the company has also seen a big impact on business to business sales through Majestic Commercial. With two days of the Christmas trading period remaining, the company indicated that festive demand – particularly for home delivery from stores and online sales had continued to be high this year, with store teams working with extended opening hours to manage social distancing.

CEO John Colley said:

“The challenges of 2020 have been stark across retail. But at every juncture, our teams across Majestic have gone above and beyond all of our expectations to serve our customers and give an experience they cannot get anywhere else. I am immensely grateful and proud of all they have achieved – and this extra time is a small thankyou for all their efforts.

This has been our 40th Christmas as a company and unlike anything else we’ve seen before. We know this isn’t the festive environment we would have chosen, but I still feel it’s incredibly important that our colleagues across the business get some time away to recharge and also reflect on all they have achieved this year. I hope our customers understand and we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, and hope they will join me in thanking our teams for their efforts.”

Find your local store, and details of their Christmas opening hours, here https://www.majestic.co.uk/stores/

The post Majestic Stores To Close For Two Extra Days As Thank You To Staff first appeared on .

A Message From Our CEO John Colley

With a Christmas unlike any other fast approaching, and the cut off for Majestic Christmas delivery now passed; CEO John Colley has written the below open letter to all customers as the business prepares for an unprecedented end to the festive season.

‘Dear Majestic Customer

I would like to thank you personally for your fantastic support throughout 2020, and hope that you and your loved ones are keeping safe and well.

As the 25th creeps closer, ensuring you have the right food and drink on hand for the big day (in whatever form it takes) is one of the few certainties we can plan for. We’re here to help you find the perfect bottle to spread a little joy, with our vastly improved range and expert staff. You’ll find this in 200 locations right across the UK.

Whilst we look forward to welcoming you into our stores for those Christmas treats, I just wanted to pen this brief reminder around some of our guidelines to help us keep our colleagues and customers safe. 

You will notice some differences in your local Majestic branch this December, such as a traffic light system upon entry or the suspension of our free tastings (if in Tier 3 areas). These are alongside our strict COVID guidelines on distancing, mask use and hygiene measures – which you can find in full here. 

I would kindly ask that you remain mindful of ensuring we help to keep everyone connected with Majestic safe. Please be respectful of our guidelines and our colleagues. They have had an unbelievably challenging year too – and we’re incredibly proud and grateful for their work. 

Preparing for our 40th Christmas as a business has been quite unlike anything else we’ve experienced. As the supermarkets fill up, we’re sure we can offer you a calmer, better experience as you pick those Christmas wines. We’ve brought in plenty of extra bottles across our stores (over 2m more than last year in fact), staffing and protective equipment to ensure that you can shop with us safely this December. 

All that remains for me is to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy new year – however you are spending the festivities. 

Best wishes

John Colley

The post Shop Safe This Christmas At Majestic first appeared on .

This winter, Majestic is rolling out a new way of tasting with our expert store staff – to help you discover new tastes with confidence. 

Wine is incredibly subjective and incredibly complex. It’s why so many of us find it difficult to confidently pick the right bottle. Infact, according to a study by the Wine and Spirits Education, 70% of Brits lack confidence in choosing and recommending a bottle of wine. 

That’s why, for forty years, Majestic has been training colleagues to be that expert voice in helping their customers select the perfect bottle. We’re one of the leading wine educators in the world, and have over 300 colleagues sitting WSET qualifications this year alone.

But during a year where more and more of us have had to stay at home, accessing that face to face expertise has been difficult. So we’ve dusted off the camera, opened some bottles and put our store staff centrestage in a brand new series of videos now available online.

Each piece features a member of Majestic staff from across the business; whether from stores, buying, product training or elsewhere – talking candidly and expertly about a wine they love. It’s a chance to get inside the bottle with members of the Majestic team from all over the country, including Master of Wine Beth Pearce featured here..

The videos are short and snappy – around 60 seconds long – to just give you the top level key points around wines you may not have tried (or you may even uncover some new insights about a much loved old friend). All the staff featured are highly trained and hold industry recognised qualifications. 

The first videos will be released this December across Majestic’s social media channels, with more promised for 2021 and beyond! 

The post Taste With Majestic’s Expert Staff – Wherever You Are! first appeared on .