Former Waverley TBS wine director Neil Bruce has joined brewery and pub chain Fuller’s as its head of wine, replacing wine and purchasing director Mark Dally.
Bruce left Waverley in 2011 and has since been working as a wine margin optimiser with the consultancy Studio Alto.
Before joining Waverley, he was commercial manager at Bibendum Wine and has also worked for Southcorp.
Dally has been with company for nearly 30 years and will be retiring in August.
Bruce told Harpers: “The chance to build on the excellent work of retiring wine director, Mark Dally, and to join such a well-respected business, was just too good to turn down.”
Fuller’s sources wine for its own pub estates and wholesales to other restraurants and pubs across the UK, which Bruce said was an added challenge that appealed.
“I am excited about the undoubted potential to grow the Fuller’s wine business, especially one founded so clearly on wine quality and service, rather than simply [the] cheapest price,” said Bruce.
”Fuller’s sells a lot of wine, not just to its tied estate of nearly 400 pubs, but also to a wide range of independent pubs and restaurants.”
Fuller’s chief executive Simon Emeny said: “Our wine business has benefited from the long term trend of better quality food in pubs and our free trade wine sales have grown during the year,” chief executive Simon Emeny said in a statement.”
