Venus Wine and Spirits Merchants, the on-trade drinks specialist acquired by Booker last year, opened its fifth distribution centre this week, in Kingswinford, West Midlands.
The new 13,500 sq. ft. depot will enable Venus to source, stock and deliver wines, spirits, beers and beverages to hospitality customers across the region. The move supports the Tesco-owned wholesaler’s strategy to bolster its on-trade portfolio and grow its presence in the hospitality sector.
The Kingswinford depot is positioned within an existing Booker site on The Pensnett Estate, Kingswinford, and is the latest addition to Venus’ distribution network and commercial footprint, following the opening of a Greater Manchester depot in Eccles earlier this year.
Neil Jewsbury, MD at Venus Wine and Spirits Merchants, said: “It’s a real pleasure to see this opening come to fruition as the new depot allows us to scale up our offering and expand our footprint across the West Midlands region. It’s a strong addition to our network and we know there’s huge potential in the region thanks to its lively hospitality scene.
“The summer season is always a key period for pubs, restaurants, bars and hotels, and we’re here to help operators in the region offer the very best choice, price and service. We carefully source and select all products in our portfolio to ensure they meet the taste, quality and price expectations of our customers, and bring excitement to consumer drinking occasions.
“As a business, we are cementing our position in the drinks marketplace as a leading supplier of expertly selected, premium beverages.”
Andrew Yaxley, CEO at Booker Group, added: “Since we acquired Venus in June 2024, we’ve set out ambitious growth targets and one year on, we’re already showing signs of success within the drinks space. Our new Kingswinford team is working hard to support on-trade customers on the ground to ensure they have access to a breadth of drinks to suit their demographics and customers’ preferences, ultimately to ensure business success for their venue or outlet.
“With Venus, Booker is able to offer an unmatched food and alcohol proposition, with over 3,000 wines, beers and spirits in our portfolio. Our goal is to be a one-stop shop solution for customers in the West Midlands and nationally, underpinned by our delivered and in-depot services, price lockdowns and strong customer relationships.”
