Virgin Atlantic signs Berry Bros. & Rudd as exclusive Wine and Champagne Supplier

Virgin Atlantic has appointed Berry Bros. & Rudd, one of Britain’s oldest wine merchants, as its new supplier for wines and Champagnes onboard. The contract will run for three years and covers all classes - Upper Class, Premium Economy and Economy.

Paul Dickinson, Director of Customer Services for Virgin Atlantic, said, “I am delighted that we have agreed with Berry Bros. & Rudd for them to become Virgin Atlantic's supplier of fine wines and Champagne. Over the next few years we will be working with Berry’s to bring our passengers a wide range of classic fine wines whilst at the same time introducing some less well known and more unusual wines from around the world. Virgin Atlantic has selected Berry’s because of their expertise, authority and buying power at the top end of the market and we are confident that our passengers will be delighted with the wines we will be offering.”

Berry Bros. & Rudd has selected the wines and Champagne for the first three-month cycle onboard, which is already available. In Upper Class there is a choice of three red wines, three white wines, a Champagne and a Prosecco. For economy passengers there is a choice of red and white wine. A new wine selection will be introduced for March 2006.

Virgin Atlantic’s new inflight services partner, The House, ran the tender for the new contract and awarded the wine and Champagne business to Berry Bros. & Rudd on behalf of the airline. The House, with Virgin Atlantic’s involvement, reviewed approximately 40 suppliers within the marketplace in order to make the final decision.

As part of the new contract with Berry Bros. & Rudd, Virgin Atlantic cabin crew will be offered specialist training in London about the wines and Champagne selected for the Virgin Atlantic wine lists, so they are able to give advice to passengers on the wines they should choose, depending on their taste and meal choice.

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