MARKETS: England

In 1978, Mero agency founded by Mario Meschiari started to export Italian wines in Great Britain through the same traditional importation channel used by all the main competing companies (importers such as Hedges & Butler, Findlater Matta, Grants of St. James, etc.).
In the early 1980's, Mario introduced a new marketing approach which consisted in directly contacting the English leading supermarket chains from Italy, thus eliminating any intermediary. This was a really innovative approach, which could lead to the risk of rejection by the market, which was extremely conservative, as is typical for English people.

Nevertheless, the attempt was finally "accepted" by some important distribution chains such as Sainsbury's, Nurdin & Peacock and Gateway and this contributed to build a direct relationship with them.
That was the golden age of some typical Italian wines such as Lambrusco Bianco, Soave, Valpolicella and Frascati, of which million of bottles were sold in England every year.

In the 1990's, the Gateway supermarket chain merged with some other minor groups, thus giving origin to the new Somerfield group of supermarkets, which included more than 900 points of sale in the United Kingdom.
Mario has worked as the major supplier of Italian wines for almost 17 years, including during the Gateway period, selling up to 5 million bottles per year.This partnership ended in 2009, following the Somerfield taking over by the UK Coops.

Producers introduced into the English market and/or supported by Mario Meschiari both with their original labels and/or private labels.

Piedmont: Capetta. Veneto: Lamberti, Pasqua, Cantina di Soave. Emilia: Donelli. Tuscany: Melini, Serristori. Marche: Umani Ronchi. Lazio: Fontana Candida, Principe Pallavicini, Cerquetta. Sicily: Rapitalà, Firriato.