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Matthew Clark is a United Kingdom-based distributor, owned by C&C Group. Founded in 1810, the business primarily serves , , bars and within the mainland UK.
The Leeds-based firm of J. E. Mather, manufacturer of "Barchester British Wine", was taken over 1965-7.Times Digital Archive for summary of firm's annual reports But the main business of the firm was that of representing foreign companies, principally from 1814 J. & F. Martell of Cognac, the great French brandy house, John DeKuyper & Son of Rotterdam, manufacturers of gin, by 1827, and up to 1925 Pedro Domecq, the sherry producers of Jerez de la Frontera.unpublished notes on history of firm by H H Gordon Clark in firm's archives The archives of the firm were deposited in the Guildhall Library and are now in the London Metropolitan Archives;CLC/B/158 they are of considerable interest for the history of the wine and spirit trade in the 19th and early 20th century.
In 1990, after listing on the London Stock Exchange, the company began acquiring other drinks manufacturers and distributors, including:
In 1998, Matthew Clark plc was acquired by Constellation Brands Inc of the United States. In 2002, the company acquired Forth Wines. In 2007 Constellation sold a 50% stake to Punch Taverns.
In 2010, the cider businesses were sold to C&C Group plc of Ireland, leaving Matthew Clark as an alcohol wholesaler.
In January 2011, Constellation Brands Inc divested 80% of its European business, Constellation Europe, along with its sister company, Constellation Wines Australia, to Australian private equity company, CHAMP Private Equity. Subsequently, in 2011 Constellation Europe and Constellation Wines Australia together became Accolade Wines.
In October 2015, Accolade Wines and Punch Taverns sold their respective 50% holdings to Conviviality plc in a £200 million deal. Matthew Clark operated within the 'Conviviality Direct' business unit which, along with the Bibendum brand, served over 23,000 outlets, consisting of national chains to independent food-led pubs and restaurants.
In March 2018, Conviviality said it faced bankruptcy unless it could raise £125m, as it issued its third profits warning in a month. It failed to do so, and at the end of March, Conviviality announced its intention to appoint administrators within a fortnight, putting 2,600 jobs across the group at risk. Conviviality Direct, including Matthew Clark and Bibendum, was sold to C&C Group in April 2018 as part of a 'pre-pack' administration deal.
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