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

Why spirits brand owners should embrace the cross-category trend - Comment 28 November 2019

Time was when spirits brands were sacred cows, held in such high esteem by their owners that they were kept in their categories and only allowed out to play with either flavour extensions or add-on iterations. Times have changed, though, and white spirits commentator Richard Woodard believes there is little - if anything - to be concerned about by letting your brand venture a bit further.

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Treasury Wine Estates Performance Trends 2015-2019 - results data 27 November 2019

In mid-August, Treasury Wine Estates released its full-year results for fiscal-2019, posting a 12.4% jump in sales from the 12 months to the end of June. Here, just-drinks considers TWE's performance over the past five years.

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The industry may be bored of gin, but is the consumer? - Comment 31 October 2019

As new gin brands are unveiled almost by the hour, we within the drinks industry could justifiably be growing somewhat tired of it all. However, spirits commentator Richard Woodard suggests that we first look over our wall, before we complain.

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Pernod Ricard Performance Trends 2015-2019 - results data 9 October 2019

In late-August, Pernod Ricard released its full-year results for fiscal-2019. The group saw its sales in the 12 months to the end of June rise by 6% in organic terms on the year prior. Here, just-drinks picks through Pernod's performance over the past five years for the trends set to affect the group, specifically, and the global spirits category, more broadly.

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Why vodka's US woes could soon be drowned out by success elsewhere - Comment 1 October 2019

For the established vodka brands, the US has long been the outstanding market, initially driving the category's metoric growth but now accounting for much of its volumes. As the country remains key for vodka brand owners, category commentator Richard Woodard believes the rest of the world is fast catching up.

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Diageo Performance Trends 2015-2019 - results data 29 August 2019

In late-July, Diageo released its full-year results for fiscal-2019. The group saw its sales in the 12 months to the end of June rise by 6.1% in organic terms on the year-prior. Here, just-drinks picks through Diageo's performance over the past five years for the trends set to affect the group, specifically, and the global spirits category, more broadly.

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Why Diageo's Cuban rum play isn't enough to save the category - Comment 29 August 2019

Imitation, they say, is the sincerest form of flattery. More than a quarter of a century after Pernod Ricard signed its Havana Club joint venture with state-owned Cuba Ron Corp, Diageo has followed suit. The group's Santiago de Cuba agreement, announced earlier this month, is one of the most eye-catching spirits deals of the year - but it shouldn't distract us from the huge challenges facing the rum category, says Richard Woodard.

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Constellation Brands Performance Trends 2015-2019 - results data 12 August 2019

Earlier this year, Constellation Brands reported its results for the 12 months to the end of February. Sales in fiscal-2019 came in 7% up on the corresponding period a year earlier, when the group's topline also increased by the same percentage. Here, just-drinks considers Constellation's performance over the last five years.

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How the spirits category can make the most of less sugar - Comment 25 July 2019

As consumers demand to know more about what's in their food and drink, category commentator Richard Woodard believes the spirits industry is well-placed to capitalise on the public's cravings for less sugar.

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What does the future hold for Champagne? - Research in focus 15 July 2019

Champagne will look to overcome short-term challenges in some of its mature markets as the category continues to pursue a value-driven strategy in a growing number of emerging non-European markets around the world.