Virgin to Start wine venture this summer

Virgin group’s lead design consultancy Start is heading up the development of Virgin Wines, an e-commerce venture which is scheduled to launch and float on the stock exchange in the summer.

Although it is not known if a Web design group will be appointed as well, Rowan Gormley, who is heading the project after turning around the fortunes of Virgin Direct, says: “We will be using Start for the design.”

Start will have the job of launching the discount wine retailer, which aims to become the UK’s largest wine seller. Unconventionally, classification of its product range is expected to be made by the taste of the wines rather than by name or region of production.

Start marketing manager Julie Hesketh says: “We are working on brand concepts with Virgin for its Virgin Wines initiative at the moment.

“It is too early to say how it will work right now,” she continues.

Hesketh also adds that the appointment of a Web design consultancy is quite likely.