Majestic has revealed its plans to acquire Enotria&Coe, a prominent supplier of premium wines and spirits, as part of its strategy to strengthen its presence in the on-trade market and enhance its technological capabilities. This acquisition aligns with Majestic’s ambition to become one of the largest suppliers of wines, beers, and spirits to UK restaurants, bars, and pubs. Additionally, the move will enable Majestic to increase investments in technology, workforce, and services across both businesses.
Following the acquisition, Majestic has confirmed that both Majestic Commercial, its on-trade specialist division, and Enotria&Coe will continue to operate independently, maintaining their distinct identities. Founded as Enotria Wines by Remo Nardone in 1972, Enotria&Coe collaborates with over 300 producers, including more than 200 exclusive agency brands. Its client roster includes prestigious restaurants, hotels, and hospitality venues, such as Gaucho, Rick Stein, Hotel du Vin/Malmaison, Bancone, and L’Enclume.
Majestic believes that the combined strengths of Enotria&Coe and Majestic Commercial will unlock significant growth potential. The fusion of resources, highly skilled teams, and complementary portfolios will create a formidable, competitive force in the on-trade market, offering an unparalleled level of service and an exciting, diversified product range.
Since its acquisition by Fortress Investment Group in December 2019, Majestic Commercial has emerged as the fastest-growing division within the company, experiencing double-digit sales growth over the past three years. Majestic’s chief executive, John Colley, expressed his enthusiasm for the acquisition, saying, "It is a business we have competed against and admired for a long time, with a quality proposition and cultural values that align very closely with what we already do at Majestic. We believe this is a compelling strategic combination and can see huge potential to further enhance Enotria’s proposition and profitability as part of the Majestic group.”
This acquisition is part of a broader growth strategy for Majestic, which last year unveiled plans to expand across 125 cities, towns, and villages in the UK. The company is particularly focused on expanding in central London, with 30 potential sites for smaller-format stores, following the success of its 'mini Majestic' concept in Harpenden, Crouch End, and Marlow.
In another significant development, Majestic also acquired the wine bar chain Vagabond Wines out of administration in 2024, preventing the closure of nine of its wine bars and saving 171 jobs. The acquisition was seen as a strategic move to further expand Majestic’s footprint in the wine bar sector, and the company committed to investing further in the chain. Majestic also plans to enhance the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) qualifications for both its staff and customers, helping to raise the overall standard of service and knowledge across the business.