Wine retailer to open new HQ

A SOLIHULL wine retailer is opening a new head office in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.

Budge Brands, which owns the Premier Estates Wine brand, has bought the new office in the Grade II-listed Birmingham Mint building which is due to open this month.

Established in 2005, the company was developed to fill what it saw as a gap in the market for a range of branded cheaper wines.

Premier Estates Wine is now stocked in thousands of retail outlets and turnover for 2016 is expected to rise to £20 million.

Santander Corporate & Commercial has provided a £1.5 million funding package to support the purchase.

Last year, owner Budge Dhariwal attended one of Santander’s trade missions to Boston and, as a result, has now entered the US market following a number of trade shows. The business is also working with the bank to access the Chinese market.

Andrew Bullock, relationship director with Santander Corporate & Commercial, said: “Getting UK firms to export is a key priority for Santander and Budge Brands is a great example of a business that has benefited from international trade.

“The firm has successfully carved out a niche for itself in the UK and the purchase of this new property, along with its focused export strategy, will see this business go from strength to strength.”