As previously predicted the oddbins.com team were made redundant yesterday. The other news is that Emma Nichols, previously Oddbins wine buying consultant, is understood to being recruited by EFB to strengthen their wine buying team. This news comes as some disquiet is being expressed here at the stock currently going into ex-Oddbins now Whittalls shops:

'Much dismay at the new wines arriving at the remaining Oddbins/Whittalls stores this week - not even cheap and cheerful lines, but overpriced and nasty ones. The kind of stuff you see in newsagents, only worse. How much does Whittalls know (or care) about what Oddbins stood for?'

Still early days and EFB are probably concerned to get some stock into the increasingly empty shops as soon as possible. Also EFB would doubtless point out that their businesses are successful and make a profit.

No news of who has bought the rights to the Oddbins name.
 
(Apologies an earlier similar post inexplicably disappeared due perhaps to some internet connection problems today.)

Subject: Message From EFB To Oddbins Branches Recently Acquired By EFB

WELCOME TO THE EFB GROUP OF COMPANIES

Late on the 25th April 2011 an agreement was reached and you have now become part of the EFB group of companies and we would like to welcome you to the team. EFB is a family owned Private Company that celebrated its 20th Anniversary this year.

The Group is one of the largest independent drinks distributors in the UK.

Whittalls Wines Merchants, a subsidiary of EFB Retail has acquired the trade and assets of 37 stores from Lee Antony Manning and Matthew David Smith joint administrators of Oddbins Limited effective from Monday 25th April 2011; we have now become one of the largest Independent drinks retailer in the UK with over 130 stores.

Please bear with us over the next few weeks while the transition takes place. We will work very hard to get to know our colleagues in the branches we have acquired and start the process of rebuilding.

It is not our intention to rush into widespread changes but we are acutely aware of the poor availability of key lines that you have been experiencing for many weeks.

We have already started work on restocking you with some essentials to enable you to trade as well as possible. By the very nature of the urgency to restock your stores, you will be shortly receiving your first delivery. Our intention is to ensure you are kept in a reliable and consistent supply of a basic core of Wines, Spirits, Champagnes and Beers overlaying this by continuing to source an exciting range at competitive prices.

You will no doubt have many questions and queries and to this end I have attached a question and answer sheet as well as assigning a temporary team of people to help.

There is also a list of names and contact numbers for you to call. In the first instance you have been assigned someone on a temporary basis from EFB retail as your first point of contact. These individuals will direct your calls to the right person in the business and this will improve the speed with which we can answer your questions. The Business Heads are also there to help during the transitional period and their numbers are there for you to use should you feel it necessary.

Breaking news

Raj Chatha's EFB (European Food Brokers) Retail Ltd are rumoured to be in pole position to take over a substantial number of the remaining Oddbins shops with a bid that is substantially bigger than any other bids on the Deloitte table. The deal may have been cut late Thursday night/early Friday morning.
 
Jim's Loire understands that an announcement will be on Tuesday. However, the EFB bid success has not been confirmed and should be treated as rumour although the source is well placed and has been accurate before. It has not been possible to contact the administrator at Deloitte for confirmation. 

EFB Retail Ltd was incorporated in 1996. In 2009 they acquired 109 Wine Cellar Stores, when it went into administration. In late 2009 the company mad ean unsuccessful attempt to buy 200 stores from Threshers' administrators – KPMG. The company is based in Walsall in the West Midlands.

I gather staff in Eire have received payslips for April. They have been paid until the 20th of April, although apparently had been told they would be paid up until the 28th.

Oddbins site http://www.oddbins.com/ down for 'routine maintenance'. When it is back up will it announce the change of ownership?

Correction (Sunday 24th April 11.40)
Just had a call from Lee Manning of Deloitte's to tell me that the rumour is incorrect – see next post.