Global perceptions of Australian wine fall short of the high-quality reality, says Wine Australia, as it prioritises increasing appreciation of the country’s products.
Scotch whisky producers are hoping to follow French champagne makers and win United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) world heritage status for their products.
Diageo announces the sale of luxury hotel and golf resort Gleneagles, while Heineken and Ball Packaging launch ‘groovy’ cans. Meanwhile, Spain’s annual wine fight takes place… read on for more news in this week's beverage bites.
Although research into the ‘apéritif effect’ (where alcohol increases food consumption) is well-documented, a study has linked the brain, as well as the gut, to the phenomenon.
Craft beers boost popularity of high strength beverages
Almost one in four beers launched in 2013 and 2014 were high strength – a significant rise since 2012 - with craft beer driving acceptance and popularity among consumers, according to Mintel.
Geneva, Hong Kong and Tel Aviv are the most expensive cities to buy beer in – while cities like Krakow, Kiev and Cape Town offer drinkers more for their money, according to a report from travel comparison site GoEuro.
International wine makers should seriously consider Germany at a time when consumers are willing to pay more and discounters are premiumizing the segment, says Wine Intelligence.
Anheuser-Busch will invest $1.5bn in its US operation by 2018; Mexico’s soft drink tax has lead to reduced consumption and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver will implement his own soda tax.
Growth for spirits lies in export markets such as China, India, Brazil and South East Asia as EU consumption slumps, says trade association spiritsEUROPE.
Resveratrol, a polyphenol from grapes and red wine, may convert excess white fat into calorie-burning brown-like fat, suggests a new study from Washington State University.
Hindus have lashed out at the name of India’s first single malt whisky, according to one self-styled “statesman”, who branded Amrut—which, as amrta, is also the sacred nectar of immortality—“highly inappropriate”.
Festivals offer a growing opportunity for the beverage industry to engage millennials, with nearly 50% of 18-34 year olds in the US attending five or more wine, beer or food events in the past 12 months, according to researchers.
Coffee and wine are both complex drinks with strong followings among their respective connoisseurs, but wines tell a stronger tale - connecting better with consumers, say industry experts.
The sheer diversity of Europe’s beer market is one of its biggest strengths: opening up the market to new consumers, and boosting export potential, according to The Brewers of Europe.
Auckland employers should be encouraging their staff to drink red wine after research from the city linked one of wine's key compounds with fewer sick days from work for the drinker.
A national poll by has found over half of U.S. consumers favor a ban on powdered alcohol on concerns it promotes underage drinking, but the manufacturers say it’s safer than liquid alcohol.
This week PepsiCo announced Gatorade and PepsiMax will lead its partnership with the UEFA Champions League, while Diageo shares rose on takeover rumours. Meanwhile, we can breathe easy that Prosecco may not run out after all… read on for more beverage...
Japan’s vending machine stockers have been seeing sluggish fortunes over the last year as overall sales dropped by 5% last year, down from 2013’s US$42.9bn.
Apollo to buy Verallia for €2,945m from Saint-Gobain
Saint-Gobain has been in talks with Apollo Global Management, (Apollo) to buy Verallia for €2,945m, due to close at the end of the year, subject to the approval of competition authorities, including the European Commission.
SABMiller’s American Light lager, Miller Lite, has signed a multi-year partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB) in Canada. Read on for more beverage bites from the industry this week.
The popularity of flavored whiskey, premium spirits, and strong demand for authentic American whiskey brands across the world will drive growth for Brown-Forman into 2016, the corporation predicts.
More than 20 health bodies have resigned from the EU Alcohol and Health Forum, saying the European Commission is ignoring calls to develop a new EU Alcohol Strategy.
Sponsor Coca-Cola says FIFA World Cup ideals have been ‘tarnished;’ Budweiser says it expects ‘strong ethical standards’
Long-standing FIFA sponsors Coca-Cola and Budweiser have responded to the FIFA corruption scandal, with Coca-Cola concerned that the ideals of the event have been ‘tarnished.’
This week PepsiCo's Indra Nooyi was ranked #15 on Forbes’ Most Powerful Women list; while research said teens are ditching beer in favour of energy drinks. Meanwhile, Lipton is preparing for a big birthday party… read on for more beverage bites.
Tens of thousands of kombucha bottles were pulled from US shelves in 2010 after it emerged they exceeded the 0.5% legal alcohol limit, so you’d assume products on shelf today are all fully compliant, right? Wrong, claims KeVita, which is proposing an...
dispatches from canadean international beer strategies conference, amsterdam
Responsible drinking should not be promoted defensively, but treated in a way that is progressive, proactive, and an intrinsic part of a brand, says Heineken.
M&M’s peanut thick shakes, sweet and spicy Ginger Nija juice, and art-inspired vodka: just some of the beverages springing onto shelves across the globe.
Alcohol consumption during bank holidays, celebrations and other special occasions is inadequately measured in normal consumption surveys, according to a study that suggests 12m more bottles of wine a week can be added to consumption in England when festivities...
Anheuser-Busch InBev says Vietnam is the ‘next turning point’ for growth in Southeast Asia, as it officially opened its first brewery in the country yesterday.
The Australian cricket team will not be the only Australian icon on British shores this northern summer. The Hills Cider Company, South Australia’s largest producer of artisan ciders, has sent its first shipment of cider there in time for its nation’s...
Dispatches from Canadean International Beer Strategies Conference, Amsterdam
Look beyond the headline figures and there are promising prospects for beer, according to Canadean. Opportunities include the African market, premiumisation, non-alcoholic beers, and the continued popularity of craft.
This week is a good one if you like drinking wine: it’s Aussie Wine Month, English Wine Week, and London Wine Week. Meanwhile, Pepsi Limon hits the shelves, while Tesco cuts sugar in soft drinks… read on for more beverage bites.
Social media strategies need to refrain from insistently pushing brands; but instead add value for consumers, explains Ashley Vinson, head of brand strategy Benelux, Twitter.
Rockwell Automation has updated its PlantPAx distributed control system (DCS) with virtualisation, batch management and integrated motor control capabilities and will showcase the system at Achema (Frankfurt, June 15-19 2015).
Owens-Illinois (OI) has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Vitro, the largest supplier of glass containers in Mexico, expected to close within 12 months.
Just weeks after its integrated straw solution landed in the Polish market, Ball Packaging Europe has revealed that it has a broader target audience in mind than flavored alcoholic beverages alone for the in-can technology.
This week Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company released its first quarter trading update, while Constellation Brands takes on a former US army captain as its chief marketing officer for wine and spirits. Meanwhile, Pepsi is ushering in its latest challenge…...
Dispatches from Canadean International Beer Strategies Conference, Amsterdam
What’s brewing in beer; which markets have the muscle to grow; and what can big brands and craft brewers learn from each other? From twitter strategies to TV ads, here are some words of wisdom from those in the know, from the Canadean International Beer...
Asian countries led by China will dominate global wine consumption in the next three years, leading to dramatically changing markets that will see Australia among the main beneficiaries.
Smurfit Kappa has launched an automatic bag-in-box (BIB) filling machine, as an addition to an existing range, which includes the BIB 700 Evolutive and the BIB 700 SUP machines.
Australian wine exports to China are continuing to recover, and in some quarters are even experiencing record sales, according to industry figures released this week.
