Craigavon based drinks wholesaler United Wines is celebrating its 40th birthday in Northern Ireland, marking four decades of successful growth and innovation in the local beverage industry.

Founded in 1985, United Wines started life as a team of just five people, operating out of Elmwood Avenue in South Belfast with only one brand on its books, the Trinidad rum VAT 19.

Now a subsidiary of Heineken Ireland, the company has evolved into one of the biggest drinks distributors on the island of Ireland, working with some of the world’s most recognisable brands and proudly supporting local businesses across the country.

Operating from an 80,000 square foot warehouse on the Silverwood Road in Craigavon, with 55 staff on its books, the company handles the sales, marketing and distribution for a huge portfolio of beers, wines, spirits and soft drinks to more than 1,000 bars, restaurants, hotels, off licenses, cash & carries, regional wholesalers and national multiples throughout Northern Ireland and the Republic.

Its extensive range incorporates well over 1,000 product lines, spread across more than 300 brands from countries all around the world, including Holland, Italy, Argentina, Chile, Spain, Italy, France, Australia, New Zealand and the USA.

United Wines Managing Director Martin McAuley, who has been with the company since its inception in 1985, reflects on the journey so far.

Martin said: “When we started United Wines in 1985, we had a simple mission and that was to bring exceptional products and unmatched service to our customers in Northern Ireland.

Forty years on, that mission still drives everything we do and I’m incredibly proud of what we have built, not just a successful business, but a family of colleagues and partners who share our passion for excellence. 

This milestone is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and resilience of our entire team without whom our success over the past four decades would not have been possible.”

Key milestones for the company in its 40-year history include the acquisition in 1990 of Newry Company Milestone Wine & Spirits and a move to a bigger 10,000sqft warehouse on Boucher Road. Five years later, in 1995, another move was on the cards to new offices and a much bigger 30,000sqft warehouse on Milewater Road in Belfast.  The product portfolio continued to grow with the addition of Seagram spirits and wine brands including Martell Cognac, Morgan’s Spiced Rum and Absolut Vodka.

The acquisition of Seagram by Diageo and Pernod Ricard in 2001 was a significant blow but the company recovered with the addition of Halewood International Spirits, and, in the subsequent years, what Martin McAuley describes as a ‘massive milestone’ contract with Australian wine brand McGuigan, still one of United Wines’ top performing products with approximately 20 MILLION bottles sold in Northern Ireland!

Growth continued at pace and in 2003, United Wines moved to its current location at Silverwood Business Park in Craigavon, with a massive 80,000sqft warehouse.  This success didn’t go unnoticed and in November 2005, the business was bought by wholesaler Waverley TBS, owned by brewing company Scottish & Newcastle.  In 2008, Scottish & Newcastle was taken over by drinks giant HEINEKEN, before Heineken Ireland purchased United Wines the following year. 

Since then, the company has gone from strength to strength, expanding its operations across the island of Ireland, boosted by the strength-in-depth and enhanced reputation that comes with being owned by a global brand.

Martin McAuley continues: “It’s been an incredible journey when I look back. Setting up in 1985 was a very brave move and we were naturally nervous that we were doing the right thing, but we knew we had the skills, the contacts and the desire to make it work.  Personally, I was prepared to do whatever it took to make it a success – so I worked long hours, travelled the country and put everything I had into the job.

Gradually things started to grow and then the Heineken acquisition definitely helped take us to another level, giving us the financial power and ‘muscle’ to grow and expand the business in a way that we couldn’t have done beforehand – at least not in the same timeframe.”

United Wines Sales Administrator Helena Smith has also been with the company since the very start and, alongside Martin, is the only other remaining member from that original group of five.

Helena said: “It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come over the past 40 years. I joined the company fresh from school and it’s hard to believe that I’m still here today.  From our very first deliveries to the sophisticated distribution network we have today, it’s been a privilege for me to be part of United Wines’ story.

Of course it hasn’t always been easy, particularly in those tough early years, but as Martin said, we worked as hard as we could and did everything and anything that was asked of us to make the business a success. 

The relationships we’ve built with our customers, suppliers, and community have been at the heart of our growth and success over the years – and I’m thrilled now to celebrate this moment with Martin and all of our United Wines friends and colleagues, many of whom have been with us for a very long time.” 

Looking to the future, United Wines remains committed to growth, innovation, and sustainability – in the face of unprecedented challenges for the industry in the past five years.

Martian Said: “The drinks industry is an exciting and fast-moving sector but there’s no doubt that it can also be a tough and cut-throat business. But I’m a great believer in positivity, which is something I’ve tried to instil in my team over the past 40 years.  It is important to stay positive, plan for success and find ways to stay ahead of the market. Consolidate and grab what opportunities you can.

From a United Wines perspective, we’re in a very strong position as we celebrate 40 years and I’m confident that we have many more successful years ahead of us with lots of potential for growth within our existing outlets and product range.  

We’re living in tough times but I’m lucky to have an amazing and hardworking team, who I would like to thank for all their efforts. We really couldn’t run this business and enjoy the success we have to date without them.”