No and low alcohol drinks are ready to revolutionise the RTD market. But while brands may focus on reduced ABV and calorie content, at the end of the day it's the taste which will determine whether they win or lose in the marketplace, writes Highball...
PepsiCo is making its first foray into the non-alcoholic cocktail mixers category with the launch of Neon Zebra, aimed at Gen Z and young Millennials (21-34-year olds) who like making cocktails at home, but are looking for more “fun and practical"...
Carlsberg Malaysia is ramping-up its digital and retail strategies after suffering a 44% annual slump in sales after COVID-19 lockdowns decimated large parts of its on-trade business.
Ardagh’s metal packaging business will combine with Gore Holdings V to create an independent public company; which will apply to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange.
Robots developed by researchers at Hokkaido University are being trialled at a Japanese vineyard, Hokkaido Wine, for pesticide spraying and weed control.
Asahi Breweries is to launch a new carbonated low alcoholic drink called Beery as part of its drive to see sales of products at 3.5% ABV or lower increase from 6% to 20% by 2025.
AB InBev’s Mexican division, Grupo Modelo, has filed a lawsuit against Constellation Brands, accusing it of breaching a deal by using the Corona brand name with a non-beer product – namely its Corona Hard Seltzer.
Indian zero-alcohol beer pioneer Coolberg has highlighted culture and price challenges as the sector’s toughest hurdles to cross in the country, whilst also laying out plans to create a new category of fizzy drinks in hopes of drawing in the mass market.
Fourpure Brewing has completed a £2.5m expansion of its base of operations in Bermondsey, London in a bid to fulfil doubled demand for canned beer during the COVID-19 pandemic.
LINGYA (零呀), the company which produced China’s first locally made hard seltzer has rebranded to ZEYA, in line with a new local and regional strategic plan.
Kirin Brewery is focusing on its core beer brands and canned craft beer business, amid a not-so-positive outlook for the low-malt happoshu sector and new categories following COVID-19 and a recent liquor tax revision.
Anheuser-Busch will invest more than $1bn in its US facilities across the next two years: targeted at expanding its operations, supporting job creation and retention, and investing in sustainable innovations.
Cider producer Sandford Orchards has invested £1.2m into expanding its bottling and canning capabilities and implementing a new branding strategy ahead of launching new vintage ciders next month.
Uber Technologies will acquire US e-commerce alcohol marketplace Drizly for $1.1bn, which will see the service join the Uber Eats app as well as maintaining a separate Drizly platform.
A new partnership between alcohol brands, online retailers and delivery platforms pledges to create robust global standards for responsible online sales and deliveries of alcohol: with AB InBev, Molson Coors, Asahi, Drizly and Uber Eats all part of the...
South Africa will now allow limited sales of alcohol, lifting its third ban on alcohol sales. “This is a welcome step to helping the industry begin its long journey back to recovery,” say alcohol industry bodies.
Australian kombucha specialist firm Bucha of Byron is looking beyond its traditional health conscious clientele to also target consumers seeking alcoholic beverages with a better-for-you twist.
Global vodka giant Smirnoff believes that hard seltzer is on track to become the next big drinks trend in Australia, banking on its ‘balanced’ low-calorie, low-sugar characteristics.
Consumers will move outside their cocktail comfort zones in 2021 - in no small part due to increased confidence in at-home bartending during the pandemic - and with that will come an increased interest in exploring low to no options, says Bacardi.
In the first decision of its kind, The Portman Group has upheld a complaint against CBD gin ‘Colorado High’ in the UK for both creating a link with an illicit drug and implying therapeutic qualities. But the craft distiller behind the gin argues adults...
Japan’s plan to reduce the gap in taxes levied on the three main beer categories in the country is expected to first stimulate rapid new product innovation across the board, then also deliver a boost to the traditional beer segment in the long run, according...
With the rise in low/no alcohol products, the UK’s Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has set out its recommendations for how to name and label low and no alcohol products designed as spirit drink substitutes.
Leading Japanese firms Asahi, Ajinomoto, Kirin, Hotei Foods, Nippn and Nissin have underlined how their manufacturing, R&D and employee safety are being maintained as certain prefectures come under another state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bottles of French wine have returned to Earth following a stint on the International Space Station: with researchers now ready to assess how the wine has changed.
With the momentum behind Dry January stronger than ever, a raft of new products are hitting the shelves this month to cater for health-conscious consumers.
Multinational beer brewer AB InBev says the launch of a new super-mild beer in India will have dual positive impacts for the company: To both boost its low-and-no alcohol portfolio, while simultaneously adapting to local regulations.
2021 is likely to be a transition year for the US beverage alcohol category, predicts online retailer Drizly. Pandemic trends will persist amidst a slow return to pre-COVID life, while up-and-coming categories such as RTDs and mezcal will continue to...
Back in the day the beverage of choice for Tour de France riders famously used to be a bottle of red wine. They may have been on to something, a recent review suggests.
Barley proteins and fibers could make an attractive new addition to the food formulator’s toolbox in everything from bread and pasta to plant-based milks, says EverGrain, a new company backed by Anheuser Busch InBev dedicated to upcycling brewer’s spent...
The AB InBev subsidiary will take on the South African government's third alcohol sales ban in court: challenging the constitutionality of the ban. “Legal action is the last resort available to us to protect our employees, suppliers and all the livelihoods...
Philippines-based craft distillery Full Circle Distillers says it is ready to tap into post-COVID-19 growth banking on its localised offerings and new sales channels established during the pandemic.
Australia’s alcoholic drinks sector has started the year with a fight on two fronts, leading industry leaders to give both barrels to new government drinking guidelines and accusations from academics that it provides a ‘distorted view’ of scientific evidence’...
Entering into 2021 with a spirit - and brand ethos - of optimism, two British entrepreneurs have launched a non-alcoholic botanical spirit which embodies the vibe of their adopted home of Los Angeles.
By Tom Harvey, co-founder, YesMore Drinks Marketing Agency
What are the big, overarching trends that have shaped 2020 - and which will continue to make their presence felt in 2021 and beyond? Tom Harvey, co-founder of YesMore Drinks Marketing Agency, outlines his six top picks in this guest article.
Scotland’s whisky industry and biotechnology innovators are continuing to up their game to try and find new sustainable solutions from whisky co-products such as animal feed, while a new barley based vodka from Finland sees benefits for pig farmers as...
By Danielle Jackson, strategic planner, Zeal Creative
The festive period is an incredibly special time for consumers, retailers and not least of all brands: a number of which offer up their own version of Christmas spirit through seasonal varieties and limited-edition products. But do they support brand...
The South African alcohol industry has pledged to withdraw support for, or association of brands with, major entertainment events over the festive period: saying they will not associate themselves with activities that have the potential of attracting...
