HISTORY

  • September 2007 – Yvonne Rankin appointed as Chief Executive of First Quench Retailing. Rankin's previous experience includes 2 years as CEO of the Central and Southern European Division with international retailer A.S.Watson.
  • August 2007 – First Quench Retailing launches a range of Organic Wines under the Origin label
  • July 2007 – First Quench Retailing launches scheme with Citizencard to offer ½ price ID cards bearing the PASS (Proof of Age Standards Scheme) hologram.
  • June 2007 – First Quench Retailing launch their own premium bottled cider, Mahoney’s Cider
  • June 2007 – First Quench Retailing Franchise awarded Brand Builder of the Year (Franchisor of the Year Awards)
  • May 2007 – Private Equity firm Terra Firma sell First Quench Retailing to a new investment consortium led by Edi Truell who subsequently sell a 75% interest to private equity group Vision Capital
  • May 2007 – 50th First Quench Retailing Franchise store goes live.
  • April 2007 – £33k donated to Comic Relief, via the Wine Relief initiative seeing the group donate 10% of retail price on all Fairtrade wines.
  • April 2007 – The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) unveil a unique and individual supply and merchandising service which will see direct delivery of Local Ales from Local breweries to First Quench Retailing stores.
  • April 2007 – First Quench Retailing Franchising Scheme launched to the public
  • March 2007 – First Quench Retailing Franchise announced as winner of the FMA Advertisement of the year award
  • February 2007 – First Quench Retailing awarded High Street Retailer of the Year 2007 (OLN Drinks Retailing Awards)
  • February 2007 – In conjunction with Fairtrade Foundation, First Quench Retailing launch a range of 8 Fairtrade wines; 6 under premium own brand Origin.
  • January 2007 – Lloyd Stephens appointed as Trading Director of First Quench Retailing. Stephen’s previous experience includes 12 years at E&J Gallo, 3 of which he spent running their UK Sales Organisation
  • December 2006 – First Quench Retailing launch staff training scheme ‘Thresher Wine School’. All new starters are invited to join a workshop involving wine tasting and basic training on production.
  • November 2006 – First Quench Retailing launch On Taste; a member’s only wine club offering an insight in to the world of wine, exclusive offers and more.
  • October 2006 – First Quench Retailing launch the ‘10 Minute Wine Tasting School’ at the Islington Wine Show
  • October 2006 – Harvey Ainley appointment as CFO of First Quench Retailing. Ainley’s has previous experience over a cross-section of retailers including Asda, Per Una, Allders and Dreams
  • October 2006 – First Quench Retailing launch ‘Wines You Can Swear by’, an innovative advertising and in-store campaign fronted by Gordon Ramsey.
  • September 2006 – First Quench Retailing awarded Innovator of the Year award for the Buy 2 Get 3rd Free initiative (International Wine Challenge)
  • May 2006 – Just 4 months after the scheme was launched, the first First Quench Retailing Franchise store goes live
  • May 2006 – First Quench Retailing awarded Retail Drinks Business Award
  • January 2006 – First Quench Retailing launches the First Quench Retailing Franchise scheme, offering existing store managers the opportunity to operate their own business.
  • November 2005 – First Quench Retailing awarded ‘Responsible Retailer of the Year’ (Multiple Specialist Sector)
  • December 2005 – First Quench Retailing acquires 200 former Unwins stores.
  • October 2005 – First Quench Retailing launches its new Wine Rack format rejuvenating its wine specialist brand which will eventually replace the old Wine Rack and Bottoms Up stores.This completes the final step in segmenting the chain into clear customer Brands: Thresher (wine led convenience off licence), The Local (general drinks led convenience off licence) and Wine Rack (dedicated wine specialist)
  • March 2005 – First Quench Retailing launches its Buy 2 Get 3rd Free promotion nationwide, enabling customers to mix and match on the entire range of wines and champagnes.
  • September 2004 – First Quench Retailing announces the launch of its new brand, ‘The Local’. The Local will focus primarily on drinks, but will also have a convenience offering, including daily essentials such as bread and milk. Eventually Local will replace Victoria Wine, Drinks Cabin and Huttons.
  • April 2004 – Roger Whiteside appointed as Chief Executive of First Quench Retailing. Whiteside’s previous experience includes the setting up of Ocado, the online retailer and head of Marks and Spencer’s Food business.
  • February 2003 - First Quench Retailing launches its biggest product initiative to date, and the first under the First Quench Retailing name. The business has developed a radical new wine brand named ‘Origin’, set to offer consumers greater simplicity, consistency and value in the world’s first globally sourced range of grape types to be marketed with a single identity.
  • April 2002 - First Quench Retailing is transferred to Terra Firma, the European private equity firm.
  • October 2000 - Whitbread and Punch sell First Quench Retailing and its 2,600 off-licences to a company funded by Nomura International’s Principal Finance Group (PFG), run by Guy Hands, for £225m
  • September 1999 - Allied Domecq sells its 50% share in First Quench Retailing to Punch
  • 1998 - Whitbread and Allied Domecq merge their off-licence businesses Victoria Wine and Threshers to form First Quench Retailing