Co-op inspires summer wine drinkers with its first Wine Ambassador partnership
10 June 2026

Co-op today (10 June) announces it is teaming up with The Wine Wally – a much-loved content creator known for making wine feel more approachable – as its first official Wine Ambassador, with a new partnership aimed at inspiring shoppers and giving them confidence to discover new and exciting wines this summer.
The partnership will see The Wine Wally bring his approachable, straight-talking style on wine to Co-op shoppers, with top tips and recommendations tailored to those key summer occasions appearing across Co-op stores through bespoke point-of-sale and in store radio as well as website content and social channels. Co-op Members will also be able to join a free online tasting event with The Wine Wally later in the summer.
Liam D’Arcy, the face behind The Wine Wally, set up his social media account in 2021, building a strong community – currently made up of 191k Instagram followers – focused on making wine feel more inclusive and helping followers navigate the often-complex world of wine.
Co-op insight found that shoppers look out for guidance when choosing wine, with summer a peak wine buying season. Co-op’s partnership with The Wine Wally will bring credible and practical guidance for customers and members, whether they’re hosting a BBQ, picnic or mid-week get-together.
Liam D’Arcy, The Wine Wally content creator, said: “I’m genuinely buzzing to be partnering with Co-op this Summer. A big part of my own wine journey started in supermarket aisles, helping people to cut through the noise and find bottles that feel worth it. Co-op’s wine offer is full of trusted favourites, strong own-label and some brilliant hidden gems so I can’t wait to share my top ‘summer bangerz’ from the range, helping their shoppers to discover new – whether it’s for that sunny BBQ, picnic or just a glass with mates.”
Rachel Halter, Customer Director at Co-op, said: “Wine aisles can sometimes feel daunting for shoppers, especially if they don’t know what they’re looking for so we’re thrilled to be exclusively partnering with The Wine Wally this Summer to help our members and customers discover more of our amazing wines and give them the confidence to explore new favourites from our range.”
The Wine Wally worked with Co-op last year on a social-first campaign, and the latest campaign will run across all Co-op stores and online until the end of August. Shoppers looking to discover The Wine Wally’s recommendations online, can visit https://www.coop.co.uk/products/wine.
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For more information or images, please contact pressoffice@coop.co.uk
About Co-op
Co-op Group is one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives, operating across food retail, funerals, insurance and legal services. Owned by around 7.2 million active member-owners, Co-op exists to meet their needs and champion the causes they care about.
With more than 2,300 food stores, 800 funeral homes and a wholesale business supplying around 8,000 additional outlets, Co-op employs 53,000 colleagues and generates annual revenues of over £11 billion. It is a recognised leader in ethical business and community-led programmes, creating long-term value for members and communities across the UK.
*A 2023 Co-op trial found that wine recommendation point-of-sale helped shoppers make decisions more easily, increasing sales of featured wines by 59%.