Top UK Drinks 3PL Providers in 2025‍

If you’re a drinks producer in the UK brewing beer, distilling spirits, or creating the next big low-and-no beverage, choosing the right third-party logistics (3PL) partner is critical to your brand’s growth.

There are so many drinks logistics options out there and it can be hard to know which logistics provider truly understands the specific needs of the drinks industry.

In this blog, we'll explore the top UK 3PL providers in 2025 that cater specifically (or adapt well) to breweries, distilleries, wineries and other beverage brands.

(Spoiler alert: not all 3PLs are created equal... so choose wisely!)

1. Tap’in 3PL - UK Drinks Logistics Specialist

Don't blame us for putting ourselves first on the list!

With a warehouse based just outside London, Tap’in is built specifically for the drinks industry only.

Our pricing model is based on actual litres delivered, giving our clients complete cost transparency and control of their spend. No more paying for drinks storage and delivery that you don't use!

Tap'in is ideal for drinks brands focusing on London, Brighton and the Home Counties for on-trade drinks distribution. We offer next-day venue delivery up to four times a week to help drinks producers keep up with high demand.

We even offer ecommerce/DTC drinks delivery for drinks brands needing order fulfilment for 500+ orders per month.

Why Choose Tap’in?:

1. Drinks-only 3PL (beer, wine, spirits and low/no alcoholic drinks distribution)
2. Transparent Price per Delivered Litre pricing (only pay for what you use)
3. Regular, next-day drinks delivery into London (4 days a week)
4. Drinks DTC/ecommerce fulfilment
5. Consolidated deliveries to encourage a more sustainable drinks delivery approach
   

Check out more on our website:

Tap'in UK drinks logistics

Tap'in UK ecommerce fulfilment

2. Culina Group/Eddie Stobart - National Food & Drink Network

One of the biggest players in UK food and beverage logistics, Culina Group (which includes Eddie Stobart) offers a full range of services- from temperature-controlled warehousing to national transportation.

Strengths:

1. UK Nationwide food & drink distribution, operating from 100+ locations
2. Temperature-controlled logistics
3. Offers temperature controlled logistics for temp-sensitive drinks
4. Ability to assist start-up brands and niche manufacturers in getting their products to market
   

Check out Culina Group's website here.

3. Wincanton - Scalable Supply Chain Solutions

Wincanton is a logistics heavyweight offering supply chain expertise, including transport management and optimisation, shared-user warehouse storage, handling & distribution and ecommerce fulfilment.

Wincanton pride themselves in having 'established expertise in premium home delivery' and having grocery customer fulfilment centres that 'position us to offer efficient solutions'. ‍

Highlights:

1. Outsourced warehouse management and facilities management services
2. Operates a shared user transport network to reduce operational overheads and benefit from a more sustainable supply chain
3. Final mile support for online DTC orders
   

Check out their website here.

4. GXO Logistics - Automation and Omnichannel‍

GXO has emerged as a major force in the UK 3PL scene. They offer robotic fulfilment, returns processing and retail integrations, making them great for drinks brands with ecommerce/DTC and high-street distribution needs.

Why Consider GXO?:

1. High-capacity fulfilment centres
2. Omnichannel support
3. Strong reputation in reverse logistics
4. Can handle beers, wines, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages
   

Check out GXO's page on food and beverage supply chain management & 3PL services.

5. James & James Fulfilment - Get Your Drinks Brand D2C-Ready

James & James is a well-known, global fulfilment company with a drinks ecommerce provision. They offer cloud-based fulfilment, live inventory tracking and excellent service speeds (same day dispatch).

J&J is Best For:

1. Brands using and wanting to integrate Shopify, WooCommerce or Amazon
2. Subscription box and multi-channel sales
3. Real-time delivery tracking and analytics
   

See the James & James website for more information on food & drink fulfilment.

Should I Use a Drinks-Specific 3PL?

Some drinks producers choose to partner specifically with a drinks-specific 3PL rather than a generalist logistics firm. This tends to be due to a drinks-focused 3PLs fully understanding and dedicating their time to:

1. Specific drinks packaging handling (fragile glass bottles, cans and heavy kegs)
2. Temperature controlled or ambient drinks storage
3. Expert routing
4. Warehouse Management System (WMS) integration for easy drinks stock level management
   

Our Tap'in 3PL drinks clients appreciate our expert drinks-specialist logistics service. But don't just take our word for it... here are some of our client testimonials:

How to Choose the Right 3PL

Here’s a quick checklist- use it when you're choosing a drinks 3PL:

1. Location: Does the 3PL's warehouse offer good access to your key UK customer base? (e.g. London, Brighton or the Home Counties)
2. Pricing: Does the 3PL offer clear, scalable pricing (e.g. 'Price per Litre' matrix like Tap’in)?
3. Technology: Can the 3PL integrate seamlessly with your current sales platform?
4. Support & transparency: How visible is your stock/order status? Is the 3PL open about their operations and handling of your stock?
5. Sustainability: Does the 3PL align with your drinks brand's sustainability values? (Unsure about where you stand on sustainability in drinks logistics? Check out our blog: How Can Drinks Logistics Be More Sustainable? Challenges & Solutions from a 3PL)‍

‍Final Thoughts

Ambitious startups and established producer alike need to choose the right 3PL to help provide a competitive edge in cost, control and customer experience.

Need help deciding which 3PL fits your needs best? Reach out to Tap'in today and ask as many questions as you need about our pricing, provisions and expert customer service team.

Contact us directly via phone, or fill out the form below. Our team will get back to you as soon as possible to help you figure out if Tap'in could work for your individual drinks logistics needs.

CALL: 0203 436 0140

FORM: See below