Nice capitalises on canned wine trend with UK launch

Wine distribution startup Nice has launched two new canned wine products, Pale Rosé and Sauvignon Blanc, which will go on sale in 600 Sainsbury’s stores across the UK starting this month.

Nice partnered with wine importer ABS to source its Pale Rose from Montpellier and its Sauvignon Blanc from Cotes de Gascogne in France.

Nice is led by two south London-based entrepreneurs, Lucy Wright, who was a co-founder of Cuckoo bircher muesli and Ananas Consulting, and Jeremy May, who worked for Propercorn and Vita Coco.

Co-founders of Propercorn Cassandra Stavrou and Ryan Kohn were among the angel investors who helped raise £300,000 prior to launch.

Kohn commented: “Cassandra and I come across a lot of exciting food and drink businesses, but it’s often the simple ideas that really grab our attention. Quality wine in a can that is accessible to all makes real sense to us, especially given Nice’s strong brand identity, convenience and environmental benefits.

“Jeremy was one of our early Propercorn employees, responsible for building our export business, so we have huge confidence in his tenancy and in Lucy and Jeremy’s proven track record as entrepreneurs.”

Sainsbury’s origination and development manager Tom Elliot said: “Nice is quality wine in a can that has mass market appeal and is 100% recyclable, which made it a no-brainer to Sainsbury’s. We have seen fantastic growth in single formats and convenience, and this category has performed phenomenally in the US. We love the brand; the cans will really pop on-shelf.

“We were also impressed by the two very experienced and ambitious co-founders driving the business forward. We’re looking forward to seeing the reaction of our shoppers as we roll Nice out to 600 stores across the country. We think the convenience element will be especially promising for the picnicking and festival season.”