Royal family’s wine merchant to open first US store in Washington

Berry Bros. & Rudd, the historic British wine merchant favoured by the Royal family, is set to open its first US store in Washington, marking a significant expansion as demand for luxury British heritage brands surges across the Atlantic.

Founded in 1698 and holding a Royal Warrant since the reign of George III, the company is renowned for its deep ties to the British establishment and its reputation for fine wines and spirits. While it already operates internationally with offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo and London, this new venture will be its first physical retail presence in the United States.

A spokesperson for Berry Bros. & Rudd confirmed: “This marks a key milestone in our international growth and we look forward to serving a wider community of customers across the US.”

The decision to expand stateside reflects a growing appetite among affluent Americans for British craftsmanship, aristocratic traditions, and Royal connections. Luxury names such as Fortnum & Mason and Holland & Holland have seen strong traction in the US, with the latter recently reporting a fivefold increase in American sales thanks to demand from wealthy clients in states like Texas.

“There’s always been a long-standing appreciation for the brand in the US,” a Holland & Holland executive said recently. “Affluent Americans love the English aristocracy, Royal family and our links with them. That connection is a very romantic notion for a lot of affluent Americans.”

The timing of the expansion also comes amid a warming of political ties between the Trump White House and Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government. In February, the Prime Minister extended a formal state visit invitation to Donald Trump on behalf of King Charles, during a meeting at the White House hailed as a diplomatic “love-in”. The recent UK-US trade deal was later described by Starmer as a “fantastic, historic day”.

Still, many UK companies continue to face export challenges, with 10 per cent tariffs remaining in place on numerous goods sold into the US market.

Domestically, Berry Bros. & Rudd has been grappling with a squeeze on margins from rising employer National Insurance contributions and a slew of new tax obligations, including the Extended Producer Responsibility packaging levy and the government’s alcohol duty reform.

In January, the company announced plans to cut around 30 roles from its 400-strong workforce. Chief executive Emma Fox cited “extremely challenging global market conditions” and increasing operational costs as the main drivers behind the cuts.

“Like many businesses, we are having to make some very difficult but necessary decisions in the face of extremely challenging global market conditions, as well as significant cost pressures, high inflation and recent increases in NI contributions,” she said.

A senior industry executive warned that such pressures are now forcing high-end UK wine businesses to look overseas for growth. “The fine wine business is beginning to move out of the UK,” the executive said. “It’s not hyperbole, everyone’s just in despair. Nobody can invest. Everyone’s being driven abroad.”

As one of the most prestigious names in the world of fine wine, Berry Bros. & Rudd’s foray into the US signals not just confidence in American demand — but also a potential pivot away from an increasingly inhospitable business environment at home.

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Royal family’s wine merchant to open first US store in Washington