Fast-growing fine-wine retailer, Millesima, has developed a new partnership with carrier management specialist, nShift, to optimise its European supply chain and reduce its costs. François D’Hautefeuille, Head of Finance at Millesima, discusses how the nShift platform optimises its shipping processes and provides a more personalised experience to customers.
Millesima, one of the world’s most-established fine and rare wine merchants, wants to accelerate its European development and strengthen its carrier network in Europe in 2025. To support this strategy, it has implemented the nShift delivery management and experience platform. Since late 2024, Millesima has been working with nShift to improve logistics operations, expand its carrier network and significantly enhance the delivery experience for its customers.
Working with local nShift experts, Millesima initially implemented nShift Ship to manage and optimise its shipping processes. This solution is accelerating Millesima’s European expansion by providing easy access to over 1,000 carriers in more than 190 countries. Millesima no longer has to identify and set up carriers individually, saving money and time.
Because of the successful implementation of Ship, just months later, Millesima was eager to improve its delivery experience further and implemented nShift Track to provide customers with branded, real-time tracking updates on their orders. With notifications at every stage of the delivery journey, Millesima customers will have complete visibility on their orders from warehouse to doorstep with a personalised experience befitting the quality and value of their orders.
François D’Hautefeuille, Head of Finance at Millesima, said: “Our customers count on us to deliver their orders – which can be high valued – in premium condition, regarding delay and service. We needed a solution with the carrier connections and customer experience capabilities to help us successfully engage new customers in new markets. nShift offers a platform and tools necessary to achieve this goal.”
Gary Carlile, EVP, Customer Growth at nShift, said: “Millesima customers expect outstanding service and complete trust that their purchases are stored, transported and delivered with the utmost care. As it continues to expand, the ability to seamlessly connect with the best carriers in each country and closely manage their performance will be critical to winning and retaining customers.”
D’Hautefeuille added: “We chose nShift because of the size of its carrier network and its comprehensive solution suite. We have moved from our initial introduction at the One To One Retail E-commerce event in Monaco to using multiple of nShift’s solutions in only a few months, and we’re very satisfied of the quality of the nShift team and very keen to see the results. It will provide us a driving force of our growth.”
D’Hautefeuille took the time to talk to Intelligent SME.tech about the partnership:
Tell me more about Millesima.
Millesima was founded in 1983. Today, we are a leading wine merchant specialising in the sale of fine and rare wines from all over the world, including Champagne and en primeur wines. We seek to provide wine enthusiasts and collectors with access to the very best wines from renowned French regions such as Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhône Valley, Alsace and Champagne, as well as top international wines from countries like Spain, Italy, Germany, Australia and more. Today, over 2,500,000 bottles are peacefully ageing in the exceptional storage conditions of our 200-year-old cellar. We offer wine both ready for shipment and en primeur, sourced directly from top producers.
What were your delivery operations like before implementing nShift Ship?
Before implementing nShift Ship, we managed our shipping processes by identifying and setting up individual carriers for each market or region. This approach was time-consuming and complex, as it required separate contracts and integrations for each carrier. The process limited our ability to scale quickly and efficiently, especially as it sought to expand its reach across Europe and beyond.
How has nShift allowed you to reach out to new markets?
nShift has enabled us to accelerate our European expansion by providing easy access to a large carrier offer in our targeted countries. The platform allows us to connect with the best carriers in each country without having to negotiate and set up individual contracts, saving significant time and resources. This enhances the delivery experience and helps us build trust and loyalty in new markets.
How much time has nShift saved in day-to-day operations?
It’s difficult for us to quantify the exact number of hours saved. However, we are clear that nShift has saved us both time and money by eliminating the need to individually identify and set up carriers for each market. The streamlined process allows us to onboard new carriers quickly and manage our shipping operations more efficiently.
How important is a reliable delivery service to Millesima and why?
A reliable delivery service is critically important to us. Customers often purchase high-value, rare and collectible wines, which require careful handling and timely, secure delivery. Ensuring that wines arrive safely and on time is essential for customer satisfaction, trust and retention, especially as we expand into new markets.
A positive delivery experience reassures customers that we are a business they can trust. It helps to build connections, turning casual buyers into loyal advocates who are more likely to return and recommend us to others. If deliveries are late or arrive damaged, a customer’s trust can quickly erode. In an industry where the product is both a luxury and a symbol of celebration or connoisseurship, every step, including delivery, must reflect the care, expertise and exclusivity associated with fine wine.
This is why investing in a reliable delivery service is not just about logistics but about reinforcing the brand promise and enhancing the overall customer experience.
What’s next for Millesima?
We are focused on accelerating our European development. We will continue to leverage nShift’s delivery management and experience platform to support this growth, providing customers with even better delivery experiences and expanding its reach into new markets.
