http://www.just-drinks.com/ Olly's beverage industry blog - from just-drinks.com en-us ©2008 All content copyright just-drinks.com. Published by Aroq Ltd. Fri, 09 May 2008 22:51:52 GMT Fri, 09 May 2008 22:51:52 GMT just-drinks.com - RSS Feed just-drinks.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 20 http://www.just-drinks.com/images/small_logo_drinks.gif http://www.just-drinks.com/ 100 21 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1392&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 It seems Big Brother could well and truly be looking over your shoulder if you live in Australia when a new law comes into force banning you from drinking a glass of wine in your own home. The extreme new liquor law will create “no-go” alcohol zones in New South Wales, and is expected to be implemented in around ten weeks time. Drinking hotspots across the state could soon be classed as “restricted alcohol areas” for up to three years, which will apply to the sale of alcohol as well as possession and consumption, whether on licensed premises or not. Gone will be the days of a large glass of red wine to help you unwind at the end of a hard day and no more will “tinnies” be present at barbies if the ban is slapped on your town. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, teetotaller Gaming Minister Graham West said the bans will only be implemented if requested by a broad section of the community and will not be government enforced. He said they would be decided on a case-by-case basis and developed specifically for the area. So if you live in an area well known for “chronic alcohol abuse’’ then it could be slapped with a range of restrictions. West said it was “new territory’’ and it was still undecided as to what penalties might be imposed if someone was caught with alcohol in a banned zone. Although the new law could be seen as penalising those who are sensible with their drinking habits, on the flip side, it could see the beginning of an end to the serious problem of drink driving and have a dramatic impact on the reduction of crime, surely making the area more appealing to live in. Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia’s Paul Dillon told the Telegraph it was a “radical solution for a serious problem,” and although initially only a trial, it certainly has the potential to be rolled out globally. editor@just-drinks.com () Tue, 06 May 2008 13:27:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1392&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1391&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 A quick heads-up to our loyal readership. Like the rest of the UK, this coming Monday (5 May) we'll be sitting inside, splitting our time between watching the rain and catching some low-quality TV. That's right, it's a Bank Holiday here next week. Normal service will be resumed on Tuesday. editor@just-drinks.com () Fri, 02 May 2008 13:45:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1391&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1390&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 With LIWF & Distil less than three weeks away, today (1 May) we begin our traditional preview of who's doing what at this year's event. Click here to see how we're going to be running our daily diary. To keep this running, however, I need your help. If you or your client will be at the fair this year, please email me at editor@just-drinks.com with details of what visitors can expect. And, seeing as Liverpool now won't be in Moscow on the middle Wednesday of the fair, I've been assured that this year's event will have my "undivided attention". That assurance came from a Chelsea fan. editor@just-drinks.com () Thu, 01 May 2008 11:58:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1390&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1389&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 As promised, here's some unexpurgated footage of how to cut peat, courtesy of Laphroaig, who took me to Islay earlier this month. Feel the biting wind! editor@just-drinks.com () Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:48:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1389&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1388&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 Bulmers’ slogan, 'Nothing Added But Time', seems mildly appropriate at the moment. Staff at the C&C Group's cider unit certainly seem to have plenty of it on their hands right now, don’t they? Some highly dedicated workers at Bulmer's plant in Clonmel, Co Tipperary have posted a range of clips on YouTube entitled: "Working hard in Bulmers" - clips that, sadly, have been taken off the site now. Staff were seen racing in forklifts ('Time to Gather', perhaps?), while others were captured spraying fire extinguishers between their legs. 'Time to Cool Down', presumably. I’m sure the bosses have put everything on ice to mull these antics. editor@just-drinks.com () Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:29:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1388&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1387&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 The end of Scottish & Newcastle looks more like it’s the beginning of something yet more colourful. In London one evening last week, the top brass at the now-defunct brewer gathered the city's analysts and media together to say thankyou and goodbye. Considering S&N’s traditionally rather staid summer drinks soirees, this one was a tad more lively, I can tell you. However, what happens at press events stays at press events, I’m afraid – my lips are sealed. Of course, the collective hair letting-down was well-deserved, for all present: The battle between S&N and the Carlsberg/Heineken consortium was protracted, tense and complex. And it could still have been even more so, with rumours - after a deal had been struck - linking the likes of SABMiller and Anheuser-Busch to counter-bids for S&N. If what just-drinks has heard is true, by the way, SABMiller came a lot closer to entering the fray than we all believed. But, spilt milk… The future, then, reads like a soap opera for both Carlsberg and Heineken. The best storyline, I feel, is the Indian one, with Heineken reportedly locking horns with Vijay Mallya over its inheritance of S&N’s stake in Mallya’s UB Group. We’re getting conflicting messages on this one, though. The UB Group has suggested, via the Indian press, that Heineken cannot simply step into S&N’s shoes, and carry on regardless, especially with a potential conflict of interest through Heineken’s Asia Pacific Breweries operations in the country. I’ve been told however, that UB Group’s braying could amount to nothing, and that Heineken could quite easily do what it jolly well pleases with the former S&N stake. Either way, the delicate juggling act on Heineken’s hands in India is just the start of a new chapter of fun in the global brewing sector. Where’s the popcorn? editor@just-drinks.com () Tue, 06 May 2008 12:00:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1387&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1386&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 A couple of interesting studies were out this week that shed some light on what is or what isn’t going on in the US economy at the moment. The extent and depth of the current economic crisis is being debated ad infinitum. Is this the beginning of the darkest economic cloud to descend on the Western economies since the Great Depression, or is it merely the correction of a market that had gotten over hyped and over heated? Well, the opinions of those desperately trying to juggle the numbers in the face of the storm have taken a turn for the worst, a survey suggests. A US survey of CFOs and senior comptrollers conducted by Grant Thornton found that 59% believe that the US economy will worsen over the next six months, while 39% believe it will improve or remain the same. This represents a significant change in outlook since the same survey was last taken only six months ago, when 36% felt the economy would worsen and 64% believed it would improve or remain the same. That said another set of figures this week gave some credence to the argument that we are talking ourselves into a worse situation than we actually need to. All the doom and gloom prophesised by the media can become self-fulfilling, when the bare facts of the matter suggest the outlook isn’t nearly as bad as doom mongers would have us believe. The figures are highlighted on our sister site just-style in an article examining the extent the credit crunch has hit retail sales in the US and Europe. The EU's official statistics agency Eurostat shows retail sales in euro-zone clothing stores were 3.2% higher in January this year than last. The US Department of Commerce shows US clothing store sales were 2.3% higher this February than last - and the UK's Office for National Statistics shows its clothing sales an extraordinary 4.9% higher in February than last year too. As our correspondent says: “Do these public servants count differently from the retailers? Well, slightly, but whatever's going on in major clothing retailers, it's certainly not melt-down.” editor@just-drinks.com () Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:27:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1386&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1385&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 The recent furore over the Olympic torch relay has been noticeable for many, many reasons. Not least of all, is the reticence of the big sponsors to either ally themselves too closely to the Chinese authorities or, for that matter, to the protestors. The silence of companies like Coca-Cola, it seems, has been deafening. Take a read, then, of the following comments, which appeared in an opinion piece in The Atlanta Journal, the newspaper in Coca-Cola Co.’s home town, earlier this week. “By aligning itself with China for an estimated US$75m to $90m, it (Coca-Cola) also aligned itself with China's poor record at home and abroad. ”Coke's been making the argument that it's one thing to sponsor the Olympics - a "force for good" it says - and another to condone the actions of the host country. "It would be an inappropriate role for sponsors to comment on the political situation of individual nations," it says in a recent statement. Coke's attitude is comparable to how some social workers say to deal with a child who's acting out: love the child and ignore the bad behavior. ”That means loving China, even though it is sending weapons to war-torn Darfur, where tens (if not hundreds) of thousands have died in what's generally considered genocide. That means loving China despite its censorship of the media and the Internet. That means ignoring the religious and ethnic oppression perpetrated by Chinese leaders. ”There's only one problem with Coke's reasoning here: China is not a child. Treating it as a naive country that doesn't know better is patronizing at best, and downright insulting at worst. “Coca-Cola has too much leverage to stay neutral or feign ignorance about what happens. Yet that's exactly what's going on: Coke's desire to avoid controversy is trumping its sense of corporate responsibility.” editor@just-drinks.com () Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:47:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1385&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1384&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 I know it was cheeky, and I’m really sorry, but I just couldn’t help it. As the ‘any questions’ segment of Paul Walsh’s presentation to the World Whiskies Conference today (15 April) drew to a close, I simply had to ask him: “How does it feel to no longer be the biggest premium spirits company in the world?” Quick as you like, he replied: “There are statistics, and there are statistics. “For those of you who like to study annual reports, look at market capitalisation, look at total sales, look at margins, and then make your decision.” Told! editor@just-drinks.com () Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:22:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1384&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1383&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 Today sees the start of the third annual World Whiskies Conference. just-drinks will be there in force and is even closing the first day by presenting the findings of its Global Malt Whisky Report. just-drinks has been the media sponsor for this event since its organisers first mooted the idea almost four years ago. Despite some initial apathy from the industry we have long held that this should be an important date in the spirits industry’s calendar – particularly in a climate that poses so many threats, from the global economy to rising costs, not to mention the anti-alcohol lobby. I am pleased to say that as an event, this year’s WWC seems to have come of age. Paul Walsh, CEO of Diageo and chairman of the Scotch Whisky Association, will be speaking right before Vijay Mallya, head of UB Spirits – surely that potential clash of world views is worth the admission price alone. They will be followed, among others, by Tom Flocco, CEO of Beam Brands, and Rear Admiral Dr Peter H Cressy, president and CEO of DISCUS – and that’s just the first day. This promises to be a fascinating couple of days. The drinks industry always prides itself on being fairly recession proof but the current economic crisis is the biggest test it has faced since the Tiger Economies of Asia crashed at the end of the 1990s. The WWC is the first of the year’s big drinks events here in the UK and gauging the mood of the sector will be an indication of how it is fairing so far. Keep peeled to these pages for more. editor@just-drinks.com () Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:43:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1383&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1382&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 It appears that Vin & Sprit is not keen to let dust of any kind settle, following the announcement of its sale to Pernod Ricard last week. The Sweden-based company hit the headlines at the beginning of this week, when an advert for its Absolut vodka brand, which ran in Mexico, provoked complaints in the neighbouring US. The ad, which centred on a redrawn map of the two countries, led to calls for a boycott of Absolut in the US. Keen to jump on the Absolut-bashing bandwagon, Campari has followed the row by today (11 April) pushing its Skyy vodka brand as being “exceptionally proud” of being from the US. “Like Skyy Vodka, the residents of states like California, Texas and Arizona are exceptionally proud of the fact that they are from the USA,” a spokesperson for the vodka brand said. “To imply that they might be interested in changing their mailing addresses, as our competitor seems to be suggesting in their advertising, is a bit presumptuous.” In the ad, an ‘Absolut World’ is depicted where the map of North America is re-drawn with Mexico claiming much of the western US, negating the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, as well as the Gadsden Purchase (1853), and the independence of Texas (1836), Skyy said. “Don’t get me started on the Gadsden Purchase,” the spokesperson continued. “I think the folks in Tucson and Yuma would be rubbed the wrong way if they hear this landmark deal was somehow nullified as suggested by Absolut, a Swedish-owned brand.” editor@just-drinks.com () Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:02:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1382&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1381&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 It seems a person’s sexual inclination can be determined by their choice of wine, according to an Italian winemaker. Franco D’Eusanio, who operates an organic vineyard in the Abruzzo region has introduced the 'masculine' red wine 'Is', the ‘feminine’ white wine 'Ea' and the ‘rose’ 'Id', for those of undetermined or ambiguous inclinations. Aside from making wine, Franco D'Eusanio also dabbles in philosophy and is convinced that everyone is not just male or female and that these aspects of their personality can be identified through their sense of taste. Personally, I enjoy nothing more than a glass of South African full-bodied merlot, so upon reading this, I am expecting myself to start spurting cheesy chat up lines and burping after every other sip. On the other hand, I could switch to a glass of rose, drink myself into oblivion and become another statistic of that crowd called ‘binge drinkers’ who seem to have taken quite a shine to the popular tipple. Unless a connoisseur, many of us tend to stick to our usual choice from the local supermarket, so to complicate matters by adding sexual inclination into our choice, only serves to complicate yet further. Is it not enough to have to choose from a wall of 500 bottles when all we want is a cheap bottle to enjoy while watching our favourite film, without pondering whether we fancy being male, female or indeed ambiguous for the evening? So for all those rose lovers out there, in the words of Dean Martin - "You haven't drunk too much wine if you can still lie on the floor without holding on." editor@just-drinks.com () Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:42:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1381&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1380&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 And so, we bid adieu to Scottish & Newcastle. The UK-based brewer's shareholders have today (31 March) backed Carlsberg and Heineken's takeover bid. marking the end, not only of the protracted acquisition battle, but also of the UK's largest brewer and one of Scotland's oldest independent companies. While it's likely that only the names will change and the faces stay the same, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all the folk at S&N that I've had contact with in the last four years. Indeed, one of my first interview assignments since joining just-drinks in 2003 was with Tony Froggatt, then CEO at the brewer, so I've always followed the goings-on at the company with great interest. All of us here at just-drinks wish all of you there at S&N all the best for the future. editor@just-drinks.com () Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:14:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1380&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1379&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 As those who have met me will know, I’m a big music fan. If tickets to a concert are ever on offer, drinks PRs have been known to withdraw nothing but a bloodied stump after having contacted me. Whilst not the world’s biggest Guns N’ Roses fan, though, I’ve still been watching the total inaction on the band’s new album front. Chinese Democracy, as the not-yet-finished album is called, has been a staggering 17 years in the making. And how’s this for a stroke of marketing genius? It certainly caught my eye. Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages is offering everyone in the US a free can of Dr Pepper if the album ships at any point in 2008. "It took a little patience to perfect Dr Pepper's special mix of 23 ingredients, which our fans have come to know and love," said Jaxie Alt, director of marketing for Dr Pepper. "So we completely understand and empathize with Axl Rose's quest for perfection - for something more than the average album. We know once it's released, people will refer to it as ‘Dr Pepper for the ears’ because it will be such a refreshing blend of rich, bold sounds - an instant classic." editor@just-drinks.com () Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:34:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1379&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1378&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 The US, and with it perhaps the global, economic slowdown is seemingly hard to get away from at present. Hardly a day goes by, it feels, without a constant bombardment of figures that are supposed to point towards impending doom. These are then backed up by armies of economic editors, using terminology I haven't heard of since my days in an economics classroom (my favourite yesterday was deleveraging) to explain how my house price is linked to the certain collapse of another US financial institution. And whilst I watch the plight of Northern Rock here in the UK and Bear Stearns in the US with great interest, the situation still feels strangely disassociated from reality. It is still hard to connect all this number crunching with the day-to-day runnings of the drinks industry. That may all be about to change with figures (yes more figures) released this week. Whilst the plight of Bear Stearns may seem a distant issue to many in the drinks industry so far, figures from Nielsen suggesting US consumers are making fewer shopping trips as the economic downturn bites, is of a far more personal concern. The figures reflect the fact that consumers are now looking for ways to combine errands and save money, Nielsen said. In a bid to battle rising fuel prices and other economic pressures, Nielsen reported that consumers only made an average of 59 trips to grocery outlets in 2007, compared to 61 in 2006. Mass merchandise shopping also saw a dip, with only 15 shopping trips last year, compared to 16 the year before. The convenience sector remained flat, with an average of 14 trips per household, while supercentres saw 27 trips, compared to 26 the year before. The research, however, showed that while shopping frequency across most retail channels is flat or on a decline, supercenters, which enable consumers to combine shopping trips with more items in one store, continue to show growth. "Value and convenience are more important than ever as rising gas prices impact where and how often consumers shop," said Todd Hale, senior vice president of consumer & shopper insights, for Nielsen Consumer Panel Services. "Long-term trends show us that all value retailers - supercenters, warehouse clubs and dollar stores - are gaining in their quest to grab shoppers." The economic slowdown is already a grim reality for many in the financial community with more US and European financial institutions predicted to fall in the coming months. But expect the impact of this complicated economic picture to increasingly become a reality for us too. editor@just-drinks.com () Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:35:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1378&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1377&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 The balance of power in the relationship between drinks producers and retailers has long been an issue of huge contention. On record, few suppliers are willing to criticise the supermarkets - one expects, for fear of the repercussions – but, off record, there are plenty of tales of woe and even the odd horror story about the bullying tactics of Europe’s bigger retail players. The recent scandal at Systembolaget, the Swedish retail monopoly, where buyers and store managers were found to be taking kickbacks from producers in return for the best listings, is an example of what can occur when this relationship swings too far in favour of the retailer. However, in defence of the rest of Europe’s supermarket chains, I have never heard, even off record, of any other illegal practices. And, whilst I would expect that the supermarkets themselves would admit they are tough negotiators, they are able to be so because of the market forces that act upon the drinks industry. Whether this makes the system fair or not is another question. The reality is that this is the free market we operate in. Or is it? News that broke over the weekend will have dealt the reputation of the current system and, in particular, the buyers a sizeable blow. A buyer at Sainsbury’s, the UK’s third-largest retailer, has been arrested on suspicion of accepting some GBP3m (US$6.1m) in backhanders from a potato supplier. The news raises inevitable questions about whether such illegal payments are made elsewhere in the system and whether suppliers have to resort to those kinds of measures to gain shelf space. It also puts the spotlight – once again – on the relationship between supplier and retailer. Whilst covering the story, the UK newspaper The Times described the country’s GBP1bn potato market as “cutthroat”, adding that there is overcapacity in the processing and packing plants that supply the supermarkets. Does that sound familiar to those of you in the drinks industry, particularly, perhaps, some of our winemaking readers? One industry source said potato suppliers were “chasing too little business. They can’t afford to lose supermarket business.” These comments will resonate with the suppliers of many agricultural products. The fear must be, then, that that if this sort of corruption has occurred in the potato category, then the similar pressures and circumstances faced by many drinks producers must potentially be fertile breeding ground for similar scandal. Last month, the UK’s Competition Commission outlined a series of measures it hopes will help protect suppliers from any abuse of power from the country’s larger retailers. The Commission wants to replace the existing code of practice between retailers and suppliers with a new code. It has also mooted the establishment of an independent ombudsman to enforce the new arrangements. Some have questioned whether these measures would go far enough to regulate the buying power of supermarkets. These allegations of bungs will only add to concerns over whether an ombudsman would be strong enough. Much, I suspect will come down to whether this is an isolated incident or merely the tip of a much bigger problem. editor@just-drinks.com () Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:41:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1377&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1376&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 Greetings from Germany, where we’re traipsing the halls of this year’s ProWein trade fair in Dusseldorf. This three-day event started yesterday, and I’m here until close of play today. Whilst it’s easy to draw comparisons with the London International Wine & Spirit Fair – bigger, more walking, stacks more German and Austrian winemakers – I hear that both of these events – offering differing geographical focus, at least - are worth exhibiting at. And no, that doesn’t come from the event organisers. One point that I can’t believe I’m making, is how good it was to have the first day fall on a Sunday. Although Heathrow was not a pretty site at 0600 yesterday morning, the atmosphere once we got into the halls – there are five of them – was relaxed and informal. Very different to today, where it’s all work, work, work, but a very pleasant way of gaining one’s bearings. The spirits hall is also well-attended, which sets a standard in my mind for the Distil spirits exhibition in London in May. The splitting of the wine and spirit sides in London is going well, I hear, with the area given over to spirits at ExCel last year set to be filled with wine companies. Distil, meanwhile - which runs concurrently to LIWSF – has secured the presence of Diageo, among others. Granted, ProWein is slightly Germany and Austria-heavy, when it comes to winemakers, but the healthy presence of the rest of the wine world, as well as the attendance of wine trade organisation representatives I’ve not met before, have made this trip to the fatherland more than worthwhile. LIWSF? Distil? The bar has been set. editor@just-drinks.com () Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:34:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1376&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1375&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 It seems fair to say that today’s Budget announcement here in the UK has pleased precisely no-one in the drinks industry. While beer and wine prices are set to rise, the latter by GBP0.14 per bottle, spirits companies have borne the brunt, with a 10% leap in duty – the first rise in over a decade. The reactions flooding into just-drinks towers today really do suggest it is the end of the world out there. It would appear that the Government has caved into demands from the British Medical Association to distance itself from the drinks industry to handle what the body has called “the UK epidemic of alcohol misuse”. Could this really be a case that all that hard work by the industry to try to curb the excesses of the British public has failed? Has the Government thrown the towel in, only to pick up the blunt instrument of increased taxation? The drinks companies themselves seem to think so, but I’d appreciate your thoughts on the matter. But, please, try and keep them cheery – I’m beginning to feel like Eeyore, reading the reactions. editor@just-drinks.com () Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:06:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1375&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1374&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 A quick heads-up to all you wine folk out there. just-drinks will be at the ProWein trade fair in Dusseldorf next week, on Sunday and Monday. I’ve got a few slots on both days free at the moment for any of you who’d like to put a face to a name, share your latest news or just allow me a little rest from traipsing around the hall. So if you’d like me to stop by at your stand next week, drop me a line at editor@just-drinks.com. Biss nachste woche. editor@just-drinks.com () Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:32:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1374&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1373&lk=alrt3&amd=3079 Any decision over the future of Vin & Sprit will require a level and - according to a group of Swedish MPs - a sober head, it seems. A group of 14 teetotal MPs in the country have called for an end to the presence of alcohol at official parliamentary functions. "We want (official functions in parliament) to be alcohol-free by default," Egon Frid, a member of the opposition Left Party and the head of a group of 14 teetotal MPs, told Agence France Presse this week. "I see that some people have a hard time fulfilling their duties as deputies with all the alcohol that is available," Frid said. The sale of the state-owned drinks company, which owns the Absolut vodka brand, is set to complete by the end of June. If I were Fortune Brands, Pernod Ricard or Bacardi, I’d take a close look at the state of the announcer’s eyes. editor@just-drinks.com () Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:54:00 GMT http://www.just-drinks.com/bd.aspx?id=1373&lk=alrt3&amd=3079