On just-drinks last week:

• GlaxoSmithKline launched a “strategic review” of its Lucozade and Ribena soft drinks brands. While many observers translated ‘strategic review’ to mean ‘sale’, the UK-based firm was at pains to point out that a divestment is just one of the options being considered. There is no doubt that the two brands could do with a shake-up: With neither present in the US, for example, it is strange that GSK can’t - or won’t - expand the famous brands into one of the the most rewarding - albeit toughest - soft drinks markets of the world.
• Having snapped up China’s Kingway Brewery in China earlier in the week, SABMiller then had to defend itself from charges of paying “an eye-watering price” for the outfit. I, for one, felt that SABMiller had little choice but to fork out US$864m if it were to snare Kingway.
• A report published on Wednesday highlighted the recession-proof status of the Scotch whisky sector. Irrespective of the world’s economic rollercoaster in recent years, the global Scotch industry recorded a compound annual growth rate of 1.3% between 2002 and 2011. For a more in-depth look at the new report, click here.
• Further research released in the week suggested that China is set to overtake Australia and Chile in wine production in the next three years. The country has long been feted as the next big market for wine, but opinions vary wildly on how to get the most out of the opportunity. Could this signal a rush of entries into China’s fledgling wine production sector?

Finally, you’ve only got a day or two more to share with us your thoughts on what 2013 has in store for the global drinks industry. It should take no more than five minutes to fill out just-drinks' Confidence Survey 2013, so head over here, quickly.

Until next time...

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