UK and US residents stuck in coronavirus lockdowns may not be drinking in bars and pubs, but they are ordering more wine for delivery, according to online seller Naked Wines, which has predicted that its 2020 sales will now top existing forecasts.
Sales by the company, best known in the United Kingdom as the online business developed by Majestic Wine before the chain was sold last year, will now top 200 million for the whole of 2020, it said.
"In the short term, the introduction of social distancing has accelerated the shift in consumer buying behaviour towards online," CEO Nick Devlin said. "In the US, especially, I believe the current period could serve as an inflection point for the growth rate of the online category, and, as the largest direct to consumer player in the US market, we are well positioned as customers move online."
Grape Harvests And Wine Production
The London-listed company said that grape harvests and wine production have been able to continue largely unaffected by the pandemic as winemakers are considered agricultural.
Temporary Order Halt
It temporarily stopped taking new orders last month after an unprecedented surge in business as UK residents stockpiled food and drink.
Adequate Stock
The company said that it is now operating with extended delivery times in all its markets, but has adequate stock.
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