just-drinks authors and correspondents

Biography

A trained newspaper journalist, Richard Woodard was editor of the drinks trade magazine Wine & Spirit International from 2000 to 2005, responsible for writing, commissioning and producing a broad range of business-related content relevant to the international drinks industry.

He now works freelance and is a regular contributor to just-drinks.com, Decanter, The Spirits Business, The Drinks Business and Imbibe, among others.

Columns by Richard Woodard

Comment - Spirits (White) - A Word with Woodard

Resident columnist and spirits know-it-all Richard Woodard provides his monthly take on the latest in the global white spirits industry.

Articles by Richard Woodard

What will The Coca-Cola Co's priorities be for the years ahead? - analysis 7 April 2021

Earlier this week, just-drinks analysed The Coca-Cola Co's performance trends over the last five years. In this excerpt from the report, we consider what's currently top of inbox for CEO James Quincey.

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The Coca-Cola Co Performance Trends 2016-20 - results data 31 March 2021

In mid-February, The Cola-Cola Co posted a 9% dip in sales from the 12 months of 2020. An improved performance in the final quarter failed to offset the COVID-impacted second and third quarters for the soft drinks giant. Here, just-drinks picks apart Coca-Cola's numbers over the last five years and considers the trends that are set to shape the future for the company, specifically, and the soft drinks category more broadly.

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Is Plymouth Gin the unluckiest spirits brand ever? - comment 23 March 2021

Our unaged spirits commentator is in gin again this month. Richard Woodard casts his eye over Plymouth gin, a brand with an enviable history - or an unfortunate one, depending on how you look at it.

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What will Heineken's priorities be for the years ahead? - analysis 18 March 2021

Earlier this week, just-drinks analysed Heineken's performance trends over the last five years. In this excerpt from the report, we consider what's currently top of inbox for CEO Dolf van den Brink.

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Heineken Performance Trends 2016-20 - results data 17 March 2021

In mid-February, Heineken reported a near-12% decline in its 2020 sales. The 12-month performance was the worst of the major multi-national brewers, with Anheuser-Busch InBev's top-line down 3.7%, Carlsberg falling 8.4% and Molson Coors at -8.7%. Here, just-drinks picks through the brewer's performance over the last five years for the trends set to affect the company, specifically, and the global beer category, more broadly.

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Why Diageo is winning the slow-and-steady Tequila race - comment 23 February 2021

Even for a spirits category that doesn't like to hurry, Diageo's success in Tequila has taken a while. Finally, the dividends of this slow and steady approach are being realised. Category commentator Richard Woodard has advice for those who have been quick to judge.

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What's coming up in unaged spirits in 2021? - Predictions for the Year Ahead - comment 28 January 2021

This month, our category commentators are lining up to share with us their thoughts on how 2021 will shape their respective sectors. Here's our unaged spirits expert, Richard Woodard, with his take on the year ahead.

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How to tailor your spirits marketing to the consumer of today - and tomorrow - comment 26 November 2020

Virtue signalling is a very easy hole to fall down when it comes to marketing spirits brands - particularly today with the hyper-connected consumer. However, category commentator Richard Woodard believes he has found an activation that skirts the hole and ticks all the 21st Century spirits brand boxes.

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Why copying gin's template for growth risks doing rum a grave disservice - comment 27 October 2020

Cross-pollination among spirits categories offers scope for innovation-led growth for brand owners. Indeed, this is a well-trodden path with many success stories. However, category commentator Richard Woodard believes rum brands must be way more selective in who they choose to ape if they're ever going to get rum to recognise its long-expected potential.

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Constellation Brands’ Funky Buddha Hard Seltzer - Product Launch 19 October 2020

Constellation Brands' Funky Buddha Hard Seltzer