Our Story
We have a rich history, with our site dating back to 1895 and the first production of wines & spirits in 1955. Since then, we have been pioneers in the wine industry, the first to introduce both the screwcap and the lightest weight wine bottle into the UK.
1894
Co-op owned ship ‘The Pioneer’ first sail up the Manchester Shipping Canal
1895
Co-operative Wholesale (Industrial & Provident) Society opens the Irlam site to manufacture Soap, Detergents & Candles
1955
CWS opens a wines and spirits depot on the site at Irlam
1964
CWS invest in filling lines and become the first company in the UK to import & bottle bulk wine
1994
The business rebrands as Kingsland Wines and Spirits – a name chosen by a ballot of staff members.
2002
The Screw Cap Initiative. Launched Unwind range in collaboration with Tesco. Established screw cap as the standard closure in the UK for wine.
2006
We move first wine container up the Manchester Ship Canal in its initiative with Peel to regenerate the canal as a commercially viable waterway
2010
We launch the Worlds Lightest Wine Glass Screw cap Bottle at 300gm.
2012
We acquire assets of Stratford Wines to expand its range of suppliers & distribution channels to market
2015
We install carbonation line and reinstate 'The Winery'
2015
We acquires Bottle Green Ltd.
2017
Filling Hall B introduced with new high speed line – 400 bottles per mins
2018
NPD capabilities expanded with new laboratory
2018
New external tank farm constructed – 350K L additional storage capability
2019
We move into the non-alcoholic category producing our first zero alcohol spirits for a leading UK brand owner
2020
Our sister company Ten Locks launched
2020
Our state-of-the-art canning line is commissioned
2021
We becomes Employee-Owned
2023
Further investment in capabilities, including bag-in-box, canning and spirits lines.
2023
Expansion of our no alcohol offering onboarding the UK's fastest growing no-alcohol brand