Latest drinks industry comment
The best views and opinions in beverage industry publishing, all in one place, from beverage's monthly columnists and in-house experts.
Carlsberg's priorities for the years ahead
Following on from just-drinks' analysis this month of Carlsberg's performance over the last five years, beer commentator Stephen Beaumont co...
Could a Pernod offload revolutionise wine?
We're all used to the rumour mill churning out the well-worn trope, and this week was no exception: Pernod Ricard is mulling an offload of i...
Iced coffee will be one to watch for soft drinks
In this month's consideration of the soft drinks category, category commentator Richard Corbett turns his attention to the iced coffee segme...
Wine getting more complicated in age of simplicity
In his latest missive for just-drinks, wine commentator Chris Losh voices his concerns about what he sees as the over-complication of the ca...
Why the mainstream media is confusing spirits' target consumer - Comment 14 Mar 2019
When people talk about alcohol, a lot of them get quite excited. Some get over-excited. As for those people that work in the media... Neil Ridley explains.
Has the gin ship already sailed? - Comment 26 Feb 2019
While the gin category continues to hog the drinks industry headlines, our white spirits commentator, Richard Woodard, has some sage advice for those interested in jumping on the bandwagon.
How much do consumers care about the ingredients in their beer? - Comment 21 Feb 2019
Earlier this month, a very public row broke out in the US over ingredients claims in the nation's beers. Stephen Beaumont takes a look at the in-fighting, but remains unconvinced of the need for such concerns.
Why Diageo & LVMH's mooted move for Pernod Ricard won't wash - just-drinks thinks 18 Feb 2019
A couple of years ago, during a debate in London, former Diageo CEO Paul Walsh said that an acquisition was worth any price, provided you believed in what you were buying.
How to win the marketing war in spirits - Comment 15 Feb 2019
Our brown spirits commentator, Neil Ridley, has had his passion for whisky reignited, thanks to a recent trip to the Scottish island of Islay. He's also concluded that a 'sense of place' is the most important weapon in a spirits' marketer's armoury.
Is cannabis M&A in US craft beer a life raft or an exit strategy? - Comment 14 Feb 2019
Back in 2017, the US craft beer industry was figuring out the best way to get its hands on more money.
Heineken cleans up coal-smeared Newcastle Brown Ale for bright Californian future - Comment 11 Feb 2019
The idea that the Californian beer beatniks at the Lagunitas brewer are behind a US relaunch of Heineken's Newcastle Brown Ale is, to many in the UK, slightly incongruous.
Where to position cannabis-infused soft drinks for the greatest success - Comment 7 Feb 2019
A functional drink that actually 'functions' is a very saleable commodity. Soft drinks infused with cannabis extract cannabidiol (CBD) could be just that and, for that reason, an awful lot of soft drinks executives are talking about them, albeit sometimes in hushed tones. Richard Corbett looks at the opportunities out there for CBD-infused drinks.
How to adapt to changing trends in wine - A case-study - Comment 5 Feb 2019
The wine category has long had a reputation for being too slow to react to changing trends, both among consumers and within the industry. Chris Losh highlights a bold move to right these wrongs, from - of all places - France.
When is a rum not a rum? When it's Captain Morgan - just-drinks thinks 5 Feb 2019
Last week's half-year results have given Diageo a solid base for its fiscal full-year. But, amidst the 7.5% sales lift for the group in the six months to the end of December was a disappointing set of figures from Captain Morgan.
A tentative start for spirits at the Super Bowl - just-drinks thinks 4 Feb 2019
Last week, in the just-drinks pre-game round-up of the beverage industry's Super Bowl ads, we noted that this year's offerings threw up little in the way of surprise. Once again, there were the usual suspects supporting their biggest brands inside the most expensive real estate in marketing.
What's coming up in white spirits in 2019? - Predictions for the Year Ahead - Comment 29 Jan 2019
Rounding off our category forecasts for 2019 is Richard Woodard, who will guide us through his thoughts on what will shape the white spirits categories over the coming month.
Oddbins owner considers sale - just-drinks thinks 29 Jan 2019
The owner of Oddbins is reportedly exploring sale options for the UK high street wine retailer after losing millions of pounds over the past two years. An email seen by The Guardian newspaper told staff the company and its subsidiaries "cannot continue in their current form".
Where are all the female CEOs? Ask again in 2029 - Comment 29 Jan 2019
Last year saw a raft of CEOs from global drinks firms announce their intentions to either move on or retire. As the stories unfolded, it became clear that those of us hoping for more female leaders in the industry would potentially have to wait another ten years.
Has Fuller's sold up or sold out? - just-drinks thinks 25 Jan 2019
"Immortalised in the name of one of our famous ales, 1845 is a year that will forever be Fuller’s," reads the London Pride owner's website. "It was then that the partnership papers of Fuller, Smith & Turner were officially signed, marking the start of something very special for London’s brewery scene."
What's coming up in beer in 2019? - Predictions for the Year Ahead - Comment 22 Jan 2019
Our category commentators are all looking forward this month, sharing their forecasts for the year ahead. Next up, we have Stephen Beaumont with his thoughts on the next 12 months in the global beer category.
Bar Nøne launch proves Coca-Cola is faster - but still not first - Comment 16 Jan 2019
This week has seen yet another launch in the adult soft drinks category. Another company keen to target moderation trends with a cocktail-style beverage that fits comfortably into on-premise accounts.
What's coming up in brown spirits in 2019? - Predictions for the Year Ahead - Comment 15 Jan 2019
After the excesses of December, brown spirits commentator Neil Ridley takes a cursory glance into what 2019 is likely to bring, including a few shake-ups in the no-/low-alcohol segment of the category.
Another drinks CEO steps down - But, why? - just-drinks thinks 14 Jan 2019
Barely two weeks into a new year and the drinks industry already has its first CEO departure. With a raft of drinks leaders announcing in 2018 that they too will stand down, we'd normally be unsurprised that another is fleeing the nest. In this instance, however, the abrupt nature of Dan Jago's removal from the head of Berry Bros & Rudd warrants closer scrutiny.
Will the race to the top drown out the value end for wine? - just-drinks thinks 11 Jan 2019
Goodness me, they're all at it! Wine's major players all appear to be singing from the same hymn sheet, the title of which is 'Premiumisation'.
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Market research
- Spirits Global Industry Guide 2013-2022
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