Wholesale Wine, Beer & Spirits Suppliers

Licensing comes first

Selling alcohol almost always requires a licence, and the rules differ by market, by type of drink and sometimes by how you sell. Wholesale and import often need separate permissions from retail. Confirm with your licensing authority what you require, and ask suppliers for their own licence details. Some markets restrict online sales, shipping across borders or sales to minors. Check the rules for your market and take legal advice where you are unsure.

Duty and bonded stock

Alcohol is subject to excise duty in most countries, and whether stock is duty-paid or held under bond changes your costs and paperwork. Ask whether a quote includes duty and local taxes and who is responsible for them. Shipping duty-suspended goods requires approved arrangements, and mistakes can be costly. A price that looks low may be excluding duty or relying on stock that cannot legally be sold in your market.

Authenticity and counterfeit risk

Premium spirits and well-known wines are common counterfeit targets. Ask for the provenance of the stock, check bottle details such as closures, labels, fill levels and batch codes, and be careful with unusually low prices. Grey-market stock, meaning genuine product sold outside the brand's authorised channel, may differ in labelling or recipe. Documented purchase invoices from known sources protect you.

Product differences

• Wine varies by vintage, so quality and price change from one year to the next. Allocation of sought-after wines may restrict how much you can buy.
• Beer is perishable, especially unpasteurised and hop-forward styles, and should be sold within its date. Kegs need cold storage and equipment.
• Spirits are shelf-stable and often high value, so theft and breakage are the main risks. Limited editions and gift sets carry their own price dynamics.

Labels must show required information such as alcohol strength and, in many markets, health warnings or pregnancy symbols. Labels for another country may not comply, so check the rules for your market.

Storage, freight and seasonality

Bottles are heavy and breakable, so ask about packaging and breakage terms. Wine should be stored away from heat, light and vibration, and beer should be kept cool. Demand peaks before winter holidays and around summer events, with gift packs important at year end.

Questions to ask a supplier

• Which licences do you hold, and can you supply copies?
• Is the price duty-paid, and which taxes are included?
• Where does the stock come from, and can you provide invoices?
• Is the label compliant for my market?
• What are the case sizes, minimum order and breakage terms?
• What is the date or vintage on current stock?

Supplying minors is illegal, so make sure your own sales systems check age.