Top Wine Buyers of Paris

Wine buyers fall into two basic categories – FMCG and Marketing and communications. Buying wine is one of those unique positions which can go beyond the functional and commodity ‘by at the best price in the market’ to be highly influential on a corporate level.

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There are many buyers who have to perform both skills and it often comes down to personality as to which side they fall more towards. Across the Parisien wine buying community, there is a real mix of characters and skills.

Yann Copty

Metro Cash and Carry, Wine Buyer

Metro is one of the leading wholesalers in France which spans all sectors – a supermarket for the small business owner with a distinct emphasis on the independent hospitality sector. Part of the global behemoth Makro Group they have nearly 100 outlets across France.

Yann Copty is the wine buyer from an entrepreneur background. Graduating in Paris (France) with a 2:1 in International Relations and from Regent's College London (UK) with an MSc in Global Banking and Finance, he received a Distinction for a dissertation related to alternative investments.

Arnaud Alborghetti

Metro C&C, Wine buyer and Product Manager

Metro, as described previously, is an important player in the independent hospitality market and as a result, has two buying positions which focus on the wine area.

Arnaud has a background from the UK with positions in Wimbledon Wine Cellars and Harrods as well as Parisien wine retail, Nysa, which has 41 stores in and around the capital.

He has an in-depth knowledge of wine from production to market with a current emphasis on wines from Bordeaux, Champagne, South West, Provence, Rhône, and Savoie. Strong experience in a buying role and a comprehensive understanding of distribution, Off Trade / On Trade, and also the fine wine market. 

Theodore Duvillier

Vins Rare Peter Thustrup, Wine Buyer

Incorporating Legrand & Co group including the Parisien wine merchant Legrand Filles et Fils

Established in 1983 Vins Rare Peter Thrustup specializes in sales of great wine including mature wines. They are part of the Legrand & Co group, which includes the high-end wine retailer Legrand & Associes. One of the leading Parisien wine retailers they sell some of the finest wines in the world.

Theodore Duvillier is a graduate of Kedge Business School and an experienced wine buyer and sales executive.

Rodrigo de Orlando e Albuquerque

Lavinia – Beaujolais and Burgundy, Consultant Buyer

Lavinia is billed as the biggest wine shop in Paris over 3 floors with 6,500 different wines.

This oenophile’s paradise incorporates a wine bar offering 180 wines by the glass, served at shop prices.

Rodrigo has deep knowledge in wines & spirits and is a specialist in the regions of Beaujolais and Burgundy. He has experience in negotiation, buying, sourcing, marketing, sales, analysis, content management, along with management training and teamwork and has worked in the e-commerce and restaurant industries.
He is fluent in English, French and Portuguese,

Etienne Delannoy

Richard Vins et Domaines - Buying Director

Based in the greater Paris region Richard Vins et Domaines is a producer, negotiant, and distributor of wines, waters, soft drinks, and spirits. They have 8 wine properties with 600 hectares of vignes across the regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Rhone regions.

Etienne is a career wine executive having worked across the different disciplines from laboratory to marketing and having spells as the buyer and buying director for Groupe Casino, one of France’s leading supermarket groups.

Jean Philippe Da Silva

TJX Europe – TK Maxx-Homesense, Buyer gourmet food and wine - French Buying Office

TK Maxx is one of the high profile ‘off-price’ retailers trading under TKMaxx and HomeSense in UK, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Austria, and the Netherlands with a growing niche in gourmet food and wine. Although they have no French stores, this buyer is based in Paris and buys for the 500+ European stores.

Jean Philippe is responsible for buying gourmet food and wine from the French, Spanish and Portuguese markets. He has expanded and developed successfully the Italian market over the last 3 years leading to the creation of a permanent buying position locally. He is a graduate of ESSEC Business School and has been involved with clothing and home sectors for most of his career.

Charles Wilson

Nysa, Buying Director

Nysa was founded in 2006, Nysa now has 41 stores in Paris and the suburbs, as well as in Lyon and London, typically located in streets with many food shops.

Charles’ Father inspired his passion introducing him to some great wines and trips to vineyards. He enjoys the French wine heritage and finds opportunities to have fun discover

and re-discover vinous pleasures.  He also enjoys Italian wines and whiskeys.

He is responsible for the selection, buying and is searching for the wines of the future.

Céline Saint-Marc Calbrix

Systeme U, Wine Buyer

‘U’ has 1,500 stores across France and is one of France’s most loved retailers.

They have four fascias Hyper U, Super U, Express U and Useful. It is a cooperative system which has central purchasing.

Céline has studied marketing and consulted with a number of FMCG brands. In the last 8 years, she has been a buyer for 2 different supermarkets. Now responsible for purchasing €200 million across the vineyards of Languedoc Roussillon, Champagnes, sparkling, Provence and foreign wines.

She is responsible for the classic French ‘Foire des Vins’ in Autumn and recently passed Wine and Spirit Education Trust Level 3.

Emilie Quemeneur

Air France Wine Buyer

The Air France wine and champagne list has been created with great care by Paolo Basso, named the world’s best sommelier in 2013 and Wine experts Bettane and Desseauve, authors of “Le Grand Guide des vins de France” (“Bettane and Desseauve’s Guide to Wines of France”).

Emilie is also responsible for the creation of the off-trolley sweet and savory products and offers as well as wines and spirits. Her background is in transports and logistics, graduating from ESILOG with a masters in logistics.