An English-based business owner has scooped a wine industry award for education in recognition of the national success of his rapidly-expanding franchise network.
Chris Powell, founder of localwineschool.com, the UK’s leading independent wine education network, has been presented with the Riedel WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust) Educator of the Year Award for the outstanding performance of his company, which consists of 25 franchised wine schools from Glasgow to the south coast of England.
The award marks 16 years since Mr Powell set up the original Wine School in Newcastle to provide independent and relaxed wine tasting sessions, professional wine courses and private wine tasting for corporate entertainment.
The original concept proved so successful he decided to replicate the business model across other cities and enlisted the support of the Newcastle-based PR agency Uniquethinking to do so.
With a growing customer list, currently more than 60,000 strong, Local Wine School is the fastest-growing network of wine schools anywhere in the world.
Each franchise is run by WSET-qualified businesspeople with a passion for sharing their love of wine, and, through links with local suppliers, have developed their own identities and community connections.
The original Newcastle Wine School still operates from Blackfriars Restaurant and offers a wide variety of courses and tastings.
Mr Powell said: “I’m thrilled that localwineschool.com has received this recognition from the wine industry, especially as we were in competition with some of the biggest names in wine education from across the globe for this title.
“Since opening the original wine school in Newcastle there has been an explosion of interest in learning about wine.
“We now run fun and professional wine courses from Edinburgh to Brighton, and the public’s thirst for wine knowledge shows no sign of diminishing.
“We will continue to open further localwineschool.com franchises in a number of key UK locations with the continued support of Uniquethinking – and have already appointed a business development manager in Canada to help us in the search for aspiring wine school owners in each major city.”
Sam Hook, managing director of Uniquethinking, said: “We’ve been delighted to work with Chris from the very early stages of localwineschool.com, and to see his business flourish over the years, during which time we’ve liaised with each of his franchisees and a wide range of media contacts right across the UK.
“Well done to Chris for winning such a prestigious award, which is the perfect way to mark the impressive milestone of reaching 25 wine schools.”
WSET’s chief executive Ian Harris said the judging panel had been unanimous in its decision.
“This is a testament not only to Chris Powell’s vision to create the Local Wine School network, but he has also achieved a superlative pass rate since starting as an Approved Provider of WSET Programmes,” he said.
The UK-wide Local Wine School network has seen turnover grow 42% to £1.26 million in 2014, as seven new franchises opened. The group, which claims to be the world’s only independent wine education franchise, said like-for-like sales growth was up 22% as it grew to 21 branches. The group has forecast turnover to increase by another 35% in 2015 and is looking to the US to open its first overseas outlets.
The group said Wine School owners and customers have been awarded a host of industry prizes including Edinburgh’s Justin Martindale, owner of Lothian Wine School, who took home the Derouet Jameson Award for his WSET Diploma results; Jimmy Smith, owner of West London Wine School, who was shortlisted for the second time for the 2014 WSET Wine Educator of the year. The group has also been granted approval to operate in New York state from the New York State Liquor Authority. “We are the first and only UK-based wine education company to have gained this approval after several representations to board meetings of the NYSLA. This clears the way to develop the search for the right partners for our US & overseas development – someone that shares our vision of wine education for everyone,” said managing director Chris Powell.
It is also partnering with Wilson Drinks Report – Consumer Wine Panel, and continues its relationships with Ruinart Champagne as brand ambassador, M&S as in-store wine educators, and Languedoc producer Foncalieu to run a series of meet the winemaker masterclasses around the UK.