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The best views and opinions in beverage industry publishing, all in one place, from beverage's monthly columnists and in-house experts.
Constellation cuts losses on Ballast Point folly
Ballast Point has fallen victim to the new broom of Constellation CEO Bill Newlands, who since his appointment in March has shown a determin...
US Champagne tariffs threaten critical blow
These are trying times for Champagne exporters. Three months after dodging a tariff bullet through their exclusion from a list of retaliator...
FDA must lead CBD out of legal shadows - Comment
In declining to define CBD as a Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS) ingredient this week, and sending warning letters to 15 companies sellin...
Why US craft beer is still holding its value - Com
just-drinks' beer commentator has had another craft acquisition to digest this month. Stephen Beaumont takes a closer look at Anheuser-Busch...
Why spirits brand owners should embrace the cross-category trend - Comment 28 Nov 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.
US craft beer gangs up to battle Mad Max market - Comment 21 Nov 2019
When The Boston Beer Co agreed to combine with Dogfish Head Brewery in May, just-drinks wrote that it was the start of a new trend in US craft beer that will see independent brewers seek safety in numbers.
What challenges face the lower-abv wine segment? - Comment 19 Nov 2019
While the efforts of brewers and distillers to create products with lower alcohol content are well-known, the wine industry has garnered far fewer such headlines. This month, category commentator Chris Losh looks at the difficulties affecting not only the production of 'lighter wine' but also the consumers' uptake of the concept - despite their purported interest.
What does rum need to do to recognise its potential? - Comment 12 Nov 2019
The much-touted 'demise' of gin is surely music to the rum category's collective ears. However, spirits commentator Neil Ridley argues the spirit must first find its way out of the Wild West and lose its 'sweet-toothed' perception before making a play for the hearts and throats of today's consumers.
What does Anheuser-Busch InBev's Craft Brew Alliance buy mean for US beer? - Comment 12 Nov 2019
Everything comes to those who wait - especially if you have the deep pockets and corporate heft of Anheuser-Busch InBev.
Are full-sugar soft drinks the new niche? - Comment 5 Nov 2019
Has the sugar tax changed the playing field so much that full-sugar is now considered a niche selling point for soft drinks? Lucy Britner takes a closer look.
Is Molson Coors set to pivot away from beer? - Comment 31 Oct 2019
There was a lot to take in from yesterday's news that Molson Coors is to massively overhaul its global operations. Top-line are the jobs losses - 400-500 is a big number and an undoubted hit to staff morale. That many of the job cuts will be in Molson Coors' spiritual home, Denver, will only inflame the hurt.
The industry may be bored of gin, but is the consumer? - Comment 31 Oct 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.
The next big thing in North American beer is…? - Comment 29 Oct 2019
This month, beer category commentator Stephen Beaumont surveys the brewing scene in North America, and considers which beer style is poised to be brewers' Great White Hope. Again.
Will Michael Clarke's departure be a Champagne moment for Treasury Wine Estates? - Editor's Viewpoint 23 Oct 2019
Michael Clarke's tenure as CEO of Treasury Wine Estates has been remarkable. The hard-headed South African brought his FMCG nous to a company - and a category - that five years ago was in a far worse state than it is today.
Why single malt Scotch must ignore its core consumer - Comment 17 Oct 2019
Despite drawing criticism from certain quarters, the single malt Scotch whisky category must continue to strive for greater inspiration and innovation if it is to maintain its current trajectory, argues Neil Ridley.
Why Canada will shape the rules for cannabis beverages - Comment 16 Oct 2019
Tomorrow is a big day for the cannabis beverage industry. After years of deliberations that eventually led to the federal legalisation of cannabis, edibles - as the digestible variants of cannabis products are known – will go on sale across Canada. This means that the cannabis beverage products companies have been working on in the lead up to October 17 will finally go on the shelves of dispensaries and other legal cannabis outlets in Canada.
Where should wine focus to buck the on-premise trend? - Comment 8 Oct 2019
These are strange times for the on-premise channel, particularly when it comes to wine. Category commentator Chris Losh takes a look at one area of the on-premise channel that is in rude health, but it's an area full of challenges for the wine industry.
Soft drinks and plastic - The unbreakable bond - Comment 4 Oct 2019
Have a guess at who said this: "We are the first generation to understand the consequences of our impact on the planet, and the last that can do something about it." The chief executive of Greenpeace? Greta Thunberg? Prince Harry? All wrong.
Has the soft drinks category missed the premiumisation train? - Comment 3 Oct 2019
The UK's gin boom has allowed for a raft of innovation in the mixers segment. In turn, the availability of premium mixers has provided non-drinkers with more sophisticated options. But, where does this leave the rest of the soft drinks category, asks Lucy Britner.
Could 'delocalisation' signal the death of provenance in spirits? - Editor's Viewpoint 3 Oct 2019
The role of provenance in marketing is widely prevalent in the spirits category - always by brands that have to be produced in a certain location, but also often by those that aren't tied by rules of definition.
Can Brown-Forman ride Jack Daniel's brand equity with Tennessee Apple? - Editor's Viewpoint 2 Oct 2019
Four months after flagging the booming growth of flavoured whiskies in the US, Brown-Forman has lined up the addition of another expression of its flagship Jack Daniel's whiskey brand in the country. Tennessee Apple, announced this week, is the third flavoured variant in the Brown-Forman stable, joining Tennessee Fire and Tennessee Honey. Could the new iteration stretch Brown-Forman's flavoured whiskey stable too far?
Why vodka's US woes could soon be drowned out by success elsewhere - Comment 1 Oct 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.
Why low-alcohol is the next growth opportunity for beer - Comment 24 Sep 2019
Back from his long-haul travels, just-drinks' beer commentator, Stephen Beaumont, believes he has found an untapped growth opportunity for the world's brewers.
Pernod Ricard breaks new boundaries with Chinese malt whisky distillery - Comment 12 Sep 2019
The recent unveiling of Pernod Ricard Asia's plans to produce China's first domestically-sourced single malt whisky is undoubtedly a landmark moment in brown spirits. Category commentator Neil Ridley considers whether Chinese whisky could become a contender to the other 'world whiskies'.
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