On just-drinks last week:

• The biggest merger in the soft drinks category for quite some time finally came good, when AG Barr and Britvic confirmed that they will, after all, team up. Barr Britvic Soft Drinks (catchy, no?) was unveiled on Wednesday, along with the warning that the chase for synergies may result in site closures and job cuts. With Britvic's French operations being described as “non-core” by one analyst, will the new entity shrink in footprint before it grows? As some spectators have suggested, this may be more a case of boring old consolidation rather than a tasty venture into emerging markets.
• In beer, Heineken held its annual investor conference in Lagos last week, and gave analysts the opportunity to run their eyes over the company's hopes for Africa. Heineken has a varied presence in markets across the continent – a situation that, according to one analyst, the brewer is perfectly happy with. By focusing on its global brands above local brews, however, could Heineken be limiting itself in Africa?
• Wine producers in Europe will be sharpening their pitchforks after rumblings out of Brussels suggested that the sector's subsidy budget faces big cuts in the coming years. Coupled with the news late last month that we can expect the lowest global wine harvest in almost 40 years, could Europe be set to become a 'less, but better' wine-producing region?
• In spirits, we had a slight hangover from the news that Diageo and United Spirits are set to team up in India. The latter's Whyte & Mackay unit is destined for Campari, according to one analyst, while another described Diageo's offer of US$2.05bn for 53% of United Spirits as being "full, but fair”. For what it's worth, here are my thoughts on the development.

Until next time...

Olly Wehring
Managing Editor
Web: http://www.just-drinks.com
Email: editor@just-drinks.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/just_drinks