In the Spotlight

Who's reporting what on the latest issues in the drinks industry.

In the Spotlight - Coca-Cola's "secret recipe" on eBay

17 May 2013

Sales of sparkling cola are under pressure, but one man still believes its stock is high. Cliff Kluge, a pilot from Georgia, told ABC News this week he may have found the original recipe for Coca-Cola - and is selling it on eBay for as much as US$15m.

In the Spotlight - The Coca-Cola Co's Global Anti-Obesity Pledge

10 May 2013

It made for some good headlines: 'Coke to ditch ads aimed at kids'; 'Soft drinks giant promises calorie counts on all products'.

In the Spotlight - Constellation Brands' Full-Year Results

11 April 2013

There was much to like in Constellation Brands' full-year results, released yesterday, not least further confirmation of the firm's intention to take full control of its US JV with Grupo Modelo, Crown Imports.

In the Spotlight - Diageo's United Spirits Rollercoaster

4 April 2013

It took Diageo many years to win the hand of United Spirits (USL), the subsidiary of the Vijay Mallya-owned UB Group. But, this week, the back-slapping that hailed the securing of its successful courtship gave way to pre-wedding jitters

In the Spotlight - New York Soda Ban Overturned

14 March 2013

It came very close, but at the last minute New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, for once in his tenure, didn't get the health reform he wanted.

In the Spotlight - Carlsberg's Move for Chongqing Brewery Control

8 March 2013

The battle over China's beer market is hotting up.

In the Spotlight: Anheuser-Busch InBev Faces Media Glare over 'Watering Down' Claims

28 February 2013

Timing can be everything, especially when it comes to PR. The news that Anheuser-Busch InBev is facing lawsuits in three US states for allegedly “watering down” its beers coincided with the group reporting its full-year results yeserday (27 February).

In the Spotlight - Beam Lowers Maker's Mark abv

13 February 2013

Who would have thought that lowering the abv of a Bourbon would provoke so much reaction? Beam will no doubt have been expecting some kind of response to cutting Maker's Mark alcohol content to 42%, announced this week, but possibly not the scale that's emerged.

In the Spotlight - Anheuser-Busch InBev, Modelo Deal Hits a Road Block

1 February 2013

It may have been inevitable, but yesterday's move by the US Department of Justice to block Anheuser-Busch InBev's acquisition of Grupo Modelo still rocked the industry.

In the Spotlight - ThaiBev's Charoen Sees off Fraser & Neave Rival

24 January 2013

ThaiBev is poised to take control of Fraser & Neave after rival bidder Overseas Union Enterprise (OUE) this week stepped out of the race to acquire the Singapore conglomerate.

In the Spotlight - Minimum Pricing in the UK

29 November 2012

There were few surprises in UK Prime Minister David Cameron's announcement yesterday of a consultation that may end in a GBP0.45 minimum unit price for alcohol.

In the Spotlight - SABMiller's H1 Results

23 November 2012

It was business as usual for SABMiller in yesterday's (22 November) first-half results - growth in its high-exposure emerging markets outpacing declines in more established corners of the globe equalling a healthy jump in profits.

In the Spotlight - AG Barr and Britvic: Together at Last

15 November 2012

It was a merger everyone knew was coming. So, when AG Barr and Britvic announced the imminent arrival of Barr Britvic Soft Drinks yesterday (15 November), all that was left for analysts and commentators to talk about were the details.

In the Spotlight - Carlsberg and Russia

8 November 2012

Carlsberg's solid Q3 results yesterday have gone down well with analysts and commentators, not least because of the brewer's continued improvement in the tricky Russian market.

In the Spotlight - Anheuser-Busch InBev Gets In The Mix

1 November 2012

There were some mixed messages coming from the analysts zone after Anheuser-Busch InBev released its - equally mixed - results yesterday (31 October).

In the Spotlight - PepsiCo and The Coca-Cola Co

19 October 2012

This week was all about the Coca-Cola Co and PepsiCo, which released their third-quarter figures within a day of each other.

In the Spotlight - Coca-Cola Hellenic Packs its Bags

12 October 2012

Coca-Cola Hellenic (CCH), Greece’s biggest listed company and the second largest bottler of Coca-Cola's products, said yesterday (11 October) that it is ready to swap its home bourse in Athens for the London Stock Exchange to “better reflect the international nature” of its business.