Vom FASS taps UK premium alcohol market
on the UK's growing premium alcohol market for its major franchise
expansion.
The German retailer, which sells wine, spirits, oil and vinegar from wooden and glass casks, plans to step up its presence in the UK with ambitions of operating at least 200 franchises there over the next 10 years.
Currently Vom FASS, which translates as simply "from the cask", has concessions in Harrods and Selfridges and 12 stand alone shops, and wants to take advantage of owner-operated stores, which it sees as less demanding and potentially more lucrative.
Vom FASS's managing director for the UK, Richard Mosconi told FoodandDrinkEurope.com "UK consumers know about quality, they have an expert knowledge of organic products and what is good for them. They understand that quality is important."
He added that although the company sells alcohol it encourages consuming smaller quantities of quality products. It has also replaced cigarettes and beer with the healthier options of vinegars and oils.
Rising disposable income and higher aspirations of UK consumers have led to the premiumisation of alcohol, where people are drinking less, but spending more on quality products, a recent Mintel report on drinking habits within the EU revealed.
At a time when consumer consciousness is high, buying the product straight from the cask allows consumers to gain knowledge about the source and history of the product.
Vom FASS, which currently operates in five European countries and has over 170 stores worldwide, has been in the UK for five years since Mosconi bought the UK franchise rights in 2000.
The company is expanding rapidly, with a second store in Paris due to open at the end of November, less than two months after the first French store opened, along with franchise proposals developing throughout the country.
Hong Kong and New Zealand will also open their first Vomm FASS stores within the next month. Spain and Portugal may also soon become the home of the 'sweet shop for grown-ups', which is already present in Switzerland, Austria, Japan and Germany, where it was founded 11 years ago.
The company claims that "selling straight from the cask to the customer brings back that intimacy originally found when customers used to buy directly from the producer."
