Auf Wiedersehen, EU - and Jaeger bombs.
As the UK prepares to leave the EU, pub chain JD Wetherspoon - whose chairman has extolled the benefits of Brexit - said on Wednesday it will ditch several EU-made tipples - including German herbal liquor Jaegermeister and French brandies Courvoisier VS and Hennessy Fine de Cognac - starting September 26th.
Their replacements will come from the UK and non-EU producers, Wetherspoon said - US-made E & J Brandy, Australian brand Black Bottle and herbal liqueur Strika, made in England.
The pub chain's chairman and founder, Tim Martin said in a statement: "This is a significant move by us and highlights our commitment to offering an excellent range of UK and world products, with the emphasis on quality and value for the two million customers who visit our pubs each week."
He also took a swing at Brexit critics, deriding talk of the UK falling off a “cliff edge” if it leaves the EU without a deal. “In reality, there is no cliff-edge, only sunlit uplands beyond the EU’s protectionist system of quotas and tariffs. All EU products have UK or non-EU replacements, often at equal or better quality and price.”
Wetherspoon has already swapped out French champagne for sparkling wines from UK and Australia and traded in German wheat beers for UK-made brews.
– Financial Times Limited 2018
