I own NIKO in Preston and we are the biggest importers of Serbian wine in the UK
I own NIKO in Preston and we are the biggest importers of Serbian wine in the UK
This Preston wine bar is not only the biggest importer of Serbian wine in the county but they are trying to change the British culture of drinking wine.
Nikola Salipur came to Preston from Belgrade five years ago but has been working in the wine business since 2011.
When he arrived in Lancashire, Nikola only had a licence to supply businesses and restaurants with the wines he had brought over from Serbia.
Following Covid, he decided to start selling products directly to customers before deciding to open NIKO, a bar that offers both exotic wines and craft beers located on Guildhall Street in Preston.
This Preston wine bar is not only the biggest importer of Serbian wine in the county but they are trying to change the British culture of drinking wine.
Nikola Salipur came to Preston from Belgrade five years ago but has been working in the wine business since 2011.
When he arrived in Lancashire, Nikola only had a licence to supply businesses and restaurants with the wines he had brought over from Serbia.
Following Covid, he decided to start selling products directly to customers before deciding to open NIKO, a bar that offers both exotic wines and craft beers located on Guildhall Street in Preston.
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00:00So, could you just give me a bit of background about the business, just how do they come to be and what was the original idea behind the wine bar?
00:09I think it's, I've always been in the wine business since 2011 in Belgrade.
00:17Then once I moved in here, I decided to open the wine bar and that included craft beer as well.
00:26Because my first business was importing the craft beers in the country.
00:31I've always been into the wine, but when I moved to England, it was five years ago, I saw so many people enjoying craft beers.
00:41So, I was like, you know what, I'll try to bring some craft beers over and then try to wholesale them, support the businesses.
00:52Then COVID happened and then at the time I only had a license to supply businesses.
01:00But because all businesses have been closed down, I was like, okay, what can I do now?
01:06Then I just started selling the craft beers directly to the people.
01:12Then, yeah, that went well.
01:14And then I decided to open the, it's a wine bar, but also it's having the craft beer as well.
01:23Two years after I opened Nico Bar, I import the first winery to the UK.
01:32Then just flying around the country, try to explain about the Serbian wine.
01:37Because we had a long history of producing the wine and then that was two years ago.
01:45That one import went well.
01:47Obviously having a bar helped me promote everything and just give people opportunity to try something different, try different wines.
01:56And then now at the moment we work with 11 wineries, biggest importer of the Serbian wine in the UK.
02:03And our first business are wholesale.
02:05So we supply the restaurants all over the country.
02:08So would you say Serbian wine is a bit of a hidden gem when it comes to,
02:13because I think a lot of people associate certain wines with certain countries, but maybe Serbia doesn't come up on that list.
02:19Do you think you've kind of found like a unique business in that sense?
02:23Yeah, I think it's a unique, it's a two sides.
02:27It's the first thing of Serbia been producing the wine as long as France.
02:32The most common question even we had yesterday, the wife had saying,
02:36Oh, I didn't know Serbia produced the wine.
02:38Yes, we've been producing for ages and ages.
02:41Then it's a two side.
02:43One side, okay, it's something unique, something what no one else do.
02:47It'll be easy.
02:48You go there and then you're going to have some exotic wines from Serbia.
02:53Some of the people, even they don't know where is Serbia, mixing with the Syria, etc, etc.
02:57But another side, it's saying Serbian wine.
03:01Hmm, I'm not sure.
03:03I never tried before.
03:04Now me, how trying to convince them to just try the wines.
03:10And what I always saying, once they try Serbian wines,
03:16the face they making, the feedback we getting from these wines, it's just incredible.
03:22It just make you push more, push harder.
03:24It's just a great feedback.
03:26Definitely.
03:27Yeah, so I saw the bar through TikTok in your series, the kind of fine dining on a budget.
03:33Where did that idea come from?
03:34And is that a case of kind of trying to get your name out there a little bit more?
03:39Honestly, I think that was just the one day I got the Sam.
03:45I don't know if he...
03:47Sam, you want to come to introduce yourself?
03:49So Sam, he working for me for last one year.
03:53He's a freelancer.
03:5421 years.
03:55No, for one year.
03:56No, 21.
03:58You are only 22.
04:01So one day we doing some work, always trying to be unique, doing some design,
04:06something what is interesting, how we can promote the Serbian wines in best possible way.
04:12And then he mentioned to me saying,
04:15Oh, Nico, have you tried this sardines?
04:17When you put a napkin in, put on fire.
04:20And I was like, you know what?
04:21I saw that, but I haven't tried it.
04:22But like, you know what?
04:23I will go to buy some.
04:25I will try it.
04:26So he go to buy some sardines.
04:28And I was like, you know what?
04:30Let's put on the video.
04:32So I just put the camera on.
04:33We put on the video.
04:34I was like, you know what?
04:35All this modern world and everything.
04:38You know, put on TikTok.
04:39Social media.
04:40It's interesting.
04:41We don't want other people about wine and all that stuff.
04:44Let's do something interesting.
04:45Oops.
04:46Sorry.
04:47Yeah.
04:48And we did that video.
04:50Then I was like, you know what?
04:52I think this will pair very well with this wine.
04:57So we took one of our wines.
04:59Paired with that.
05:00And it paired very well.
05:03It was off the cuff.
05:04Yeah.
05:05To begin with.
05:06It was just there.
05:08It's all that.
05:09And then I think after that, the video after video.
05:12It's all about people can enjoy within the budget at home or outside.
05:18Whenever.
05:19In the park.
05:20Do not need to spend lots of money.
05:22And still feel these fine dining moments.
05:25And pairing with a good wine.
05:27So, you know, how many people can afford to go every day to a fine dining restaurant.
05:32And spend a fortune.
05:34I was like, you know what?
05:35If you're at home, you don't need to cook.
05:37You can just put all together.
05:38Have a good wine.
05:39And still have a good moment.
05:40Have a good moment.
05:41Would you also say there was like that educational element.
05:43Like what wines pair well with certain foods as well.
05:46Because I was kind of getting that impression from the video.
05:48I think.
05:50In actual honesty.
05:51It was an idea that was.
05:54We just came up with.
05:55And kind of.
05:58And just kind of resonated, I guess.
06:02But on reflection.
06:03I think, yeah.
06:04It's about.
06:06It's about educating people about what pairs with what.
06:08It's about promoting the wines that Nico imports.
06:12And sort of doing that in a fun, engaging way.
06:15That people might quite like to watch.
06:18And also.
06:19I think one of the problems.
06:20Not just with Serbian wine.
06:22But with wine generally.
06:23Is that people think it's like a.
06:25A thing to be scared of.
06:26A thing that you can't quite touch.
06:28Not quite sure what to do with it.
06:30And I guess we're just trying to show that.
06:32Alright, we call it fine dining.
06:33But really it's just a few ingredients that we throw together on a plate.
06:36And it's just something not to be scared of.
06:38Something that you can engage with.
06:40And that does pay off.
06:41You know, you can have like an enjoyable moment.
06:43For not very much money.
06:44But that is a thing.
06:45It's only because.
06:47If you see our caption.
06:48It's saying.
06:49Fine dining.
06:51Probably will beep in there.
06:52But that.
06:54That is a true.
06:55In what way.
06:56We have to remember.
06:58Food.
06:59Wine.
07:00And everything.
07:01All in this industry.
07:02Bars.
07:03Restaurants.
07:04People going there.
07:05All because of the pleasure.
07:06To have a good time.
07:08Same as we mentioned before.
07:10You shouldn't be scared about anything.
07:11Asking anything.
07:12If you want to have a wine.
07:13Fine.
07:14And a steak.
07:15That is absolutely fine.
07:17If that much good for you.
07:19If spare well for you.
07:21You don't want to expect.
07:22To waiter or sommelier on the table.
07:24Saying.
07:25Oh you know what.
07:26You should have a red wine.
07:27With a steak.
07:28Why?
07:29Because end of the day.
07:30You paying for that bill.
07:31You want to have a good experience.
07:33And anything you think.
07:35Or anything you want to eat.
07:37And any wine you want to choose.
07:38It's right.
07:39Yeah.
07:40That's it.
07:41I think wine.
07:42As a whole.
07:43Can feel a bit restrictive.
07:44Can't it?
07:45Like when you don't know.
07:46So much about it.
07:47But I think your videos.
07:48And your kind of attitude.
07:49Towards it.
07:50Is quite open.
07:51You can just.
07:52Have whatever wine you want.
07:54But that is also many things.
07:55Many times.
07:56Even behind the bar.
07:57Saying people is like.
07:58Oh you know what.
07:59I drinking a white wine.
08:01And then I can feel.
08:03To people a bit scared.
08:04Like okay.
08:05What wine you like.
08:07Do you want acidity.
08:08Do you want something fruity.
08:09Do you want dry.
08:10Semi dry.
08:11And then they feel more comfortable.
08:13But that always should be like that.
08:15And then coming to the price point.
08:17I always asking.
08:18How much you are willing to spend.
08:20But doesn't mean.
08:21How much you have in your pocket.
08:22No.
08:23How much you are willing to spend.
08:24At this moment.
08:25Yeah.
08:26I want to spend 15 pounds.
08:27For a bottle of wine.
08:28Okay.
08:29This 15 pounds bottle of wine.
08:30Decent wine for that price.
08:31And that's it.
08:32So don't be scared.
08:33You're paying for that.
08:34And then.
08:35You come in to enjoy.
08:37When it's some fine dining restaurants.
08:39You're having someone.
08:40Serve you in the white gloves.
08:41And be like.
08:42Really strict.
08:43Really official.
08:45Like oh.
08:46Yeah.
08:47I will pay this.
08:48This is not free.
08:50And then you just want to feel comfortable.
08:52I think the other thing.
08:53The other thing.
08:54About it is that.
08:55In the UK.
08:56Nick is obviously from Serbia.
08:58I'm from Preston.
09:00Estonia.
09:01But the.
09:02I've worked in the wine industry.
09:04A long time.
09:05And I've traveled.
09:06And I've lived abroad.
09:07And in the UK.
09:08We don't have a wine culture.
09:10Like they do elsewhere.
09:11We don't have.
09:12We don't have.
09:13We don't have the same culture.
09:14Of just.
09:15Of sitting out.
09:17In the middle of the day.
09:18Or just after work.
09:19And having something.
09:20Quick to eat.
09:21With something.
09:22Just a glass of wine.
09:23Not like.
09:24You know.
09:25We finally got an all or nothing culture.
09:26We either don't do it at all.
09:27Or it's like.
09:28A mad one.
09:29Too much.
09:30Yeah.
09:32It's something that.
09:33I miss.
09:34Or I.
09:35Miss from.
09:36Having traveled.
09:37Around.
09:38And we don't have it here.
09:39And the sort of regret.
09:40That we don't have it here.
09:41It's something that Nico misses.
09:42About.
09:43Like.
09:44Life in Serbia.
09:45I guess.
09:46Versus life here.
09:47And so.
09:48We're also just trying to promote.
09:49That sort of more casual.
09:50Responsible.
09:51But.
09:52But.
09:53But.
09:54But like casual approach to.
09:55You know what.
09:56It doesn't have to be.
09:57It doesn't have to be a Friday night.
09:58All out.
09:59No.
10:00It doesn't have to be a Friday night.
10:01It can be.
10:02It can be.
10:03It can be.
10:04But on Tuesday.
10:05You've got to be like.
10:06Oh you know.
10:07You know.
10:08It's not an all or nothing culture.
10:09You're having a glass of wine on Tuesday.
10:10Like.
10:11Oh what's wrong with you.
10:12Yes.
10:13I just having a glass of wine.
10:14And also having your lunch.
10:15Yeah.
10:16There's nothing wrong.
10:17It's a different way of living.
10:18Having a glass of wine.
10:19On your lunch break.
10:20Can be seen as a much more casual thing.
10:21Yeah.
10:22Yeah.
10:23Exactly.
10:24And it's how it always should be.
10:25That's it.
10:26So.
10:27Yeah.
10:28And then again.
10:29As long.
10:30Obviously.
10:31Other side.
10:32We like to promote the business.
10:33Something unique.
10:34What we do in the country.
10:35It's the biggest importer.
10:36The Serbian's wine in the UK.
10:37But.
10:38It's also.
10:39You don't feel the pressure.
10:40Being like.
10:41OK.
10:42If you do this.
10:43Or if you do that.
10:44So we want to involve.
10:45Other chefs.
10:46We want to involve.
10:47Master chefs.
10:48Doing the videos with us.
10:49Just.
10:50To give more confidence to the people.
10:51So you can still spend.
10:52Five pounds.
10:53Yeah.
10:54And have a good experience.
10:55Yeah.
10:56Yeah.
10:57Yeah.
10:58Yeah.
10:59Yeah.
11:00Yeah.
11:01Yeah.
11:02Yeah.
11:03Yeah.
11:04Yeah.
11:05Yeah.
11:06Yeah.
11:07Yeah.
11:08Yeah.
11:09Yeah.
11:10Yeah.
11:11Yeah.
11:12Yeah.
11:13Yeah.
11:14Yeah.
11:15Yeah.
11:16Yeah.
11:17Yeah.
11:18Yeah.
11:19Yeah.
11:20Yeah.
11:21Yeah.
11:22Yeah.
11:23Yeah.
11:24Yeah.
11:25Yeah.
11:26Yeah.