Wine company hopeful
LAWHILL Wines significantly felt the impact of COVID-19 as 95 per cent of businesses evaporated when the borders closed.
However, the wine company has diversified its business operations and focused more on its own retail branches, according to Lawhill Wines director Neil Underhill.
He said Lawhill Wines retail branch, Indulge was presently set up in five locations — Lami, Pacific Harbour, Korotogo, Denarau and Saweni.
“We are currently looking at one in Savusavu, one in Ba and one on the Ba side of Lautoka.
“There is a good bunch of people that drink wine, we have seen 20 years ago canefarmers at the end of cane cutting would probably have general water and now they are having red wine,” he said.
The appreciation of wine is increasing as according to Mr Underhill it was probably to the detriment of beer.
“Wines are becoming more readily available, the recent budget decreases the import duty on wines so they went down by about $4 a bottle.
“So it took the wine which was over 20 down to sub 20, 20 bucks for five glasses is not bad.”
Lawhill Wines had been importing from the Jackson Family Wines in California for 15 years and according to Mr Underhill majority of their customers were in the tourism industry.
“COVID-19 had impacted the business significantly, 95 per cent of businesses evaporated when the boarders closed because we are suppliers to the tourism industry and it was just good foresight to set up the Indulge shops because the domestic market is supporting us.
“We have seen the increase in domestic sales through this COVID period but we are also grateful we did set up on our own and not rely on the traditional supermarket who are sad to say don’t support independent wine importers like ourselves.
“They would prefer to bring in their own product and concentrate on making money rather than offering a decent range of wines.
He said the next step for the company was to open a few more Indulge shops as they work on their partnership with Vanua Chocolate in all their Indulge stores.
Mr Underhill said they were hoping for opening of borders and getting some of the sold out products for the consumers.
There is a good bunch of people that drink wine, we have seen 20 years ago cane farmers at the end of cane cutting would probably have general water and now they are having red wine.
– Neil Underhill