Unwins was a chain of 381 off-licences selling alcoholic beverages based in Kent, England, with outlets focused on London and the South East.
It remained in family ownership until March 2005, when it was sold to private equity firm DM for £32 million.
[1] With Unwins being based primarily in London and the south-east of England, the fate of its fortunes suffered from its restrictive geography.
With the advent of the 'booze cruise' cut-price cross-channel ferries (along with, to a lesser extent, LeShuttle operating through the Channel Tunnel) allowing Unwins' target market ready access to a vast array of high quality, and popular brands of French wines along with beers and spirits – all by the case loads, at rock-bottom cash-and-carry prices – this put an untenable strain on both the business model, and their long-term future profitability.
[1] It was reported that the ultimate downfall of Unwins was due to its failure to adapt and evolve its offerings to the needs and requirements of the current market trends.