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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.
Is SodaStream a 'twofer' solution for PepsiCo?
It was not that long ago that SodaStream International fancied itself as something of a plucky eco-hero, portraying its plastic-free drinks...
Will the sugar tax story pan out as expected?
Four months on from the arrival of the tax on full-sugar soft drinks in the UK, category commentator Richard Corbett looks at what the numbe...
What lies ahead for PepsiCo's new CEO? - Comment
With a rumoured predisposition to going shoeless around the office and a past life as a guitar player in a band, Indra Nooyi was one of the...
Why is gin flattering to deceive in the US? - Comm
Scanning just-drink's NPD section would suggest a new gin brand is launched every day. The segment is the place to be and everyone knows it....
Is Heineken risking too much to chase Anheuser-Busch InBev in China? - Comment 3 Aug 2018
For foreign businesspeople in China, it is the most cliched of scenarios - the over-ambitious company lured to disaster by the appeal of China's seemingly bottomless potential. The past 30 years is littered with examples. Is Heineken about to become the latest?
How to pitch alcohol-free adult soft drinks to consumers - Consumer Trends 2 Aug 2018
In her latest consumer trends column, Laura Foster looks at the rise of non-alcoholic and adult soft drinks. The key to their success, she says, is in the way they are communicated to consumers.
Are beer festivals worth the time and expense it takes to participate in them? - Comment 26 Jul 2018
As July gently turns to August, we enter what must be considered the heart of beer festival season.
How self-serve will drive a sea-change in the soft drinks industry - Comment 19 Jul 2018
Soft drinks commentator Richard Corbett has seen the future. Again. This time, it happened when he popped out for a burger.
Who will buy Cutty Sark and Glenturret from Edrington? - Comment 17 Jul 2018
The opportunity to acquire an established, well-known Scotch whisky brand doesn't come along very often. So, you'll forgive our brown spirits commentator, Neil Ridley for being a bit excited right now.
What will the wine consumer of the future look like? - Comment 10 Jul 2018
Chris Losh is looking to the future in this, his latest postcard from the far edges of wine. Our wine category commentator reports this month on how the consumer of tomorrow is shaping up.
How can mineral water keep pace with its bottled water competition? - Comment 3 Jul 2018
They represent some of the oldest soft drinks brands around, but how is the mineral water segment dealing with the environmental debate, competition from spring waters and the emergence of Coca-Cola's Glaceau Smartwater and PepsiCo's Lifewtr? Soft drinks commentator Richard Corbett looks at a water segment with plenty still to shout about, if anybody is listening.
Heineken's in-house expert drives cannabis strategy - Comment 28 Jun 2018
What do international brewers know about cannabis? Not very much, it seems, which is why Constellation Brands last year invested CAD245m (US$191m) in a cannabis manufacturer to help Corona's US owner bring a cannabis beverage to market. Molson Coors is reportedly seeking similar help in its potential push into the category.
What is beer's biggest problem? - Comment 26 Jun 2018
A trip to Belgium earlier this year provided some home truths for our resident beer commentator, Stephen Beaumont: While brewers have done well to break out beyond the traditional flavour brackets, they are coming unstuck on getting these under the noses of most consumers.
Why Irish whiskey must learn to manage its time - Comment 19 Jun 2018
Is the renaissance of Irish whiskey about to hit its first major bump along the emerald pathway? Neil Ridley looks at what can be learnt as the segment's popularity continues to rise.
Can 'natural wine' ride the Millennial wave? - Comment 14 Jun 2018
just-drinks' wine commentator, Chris Losh, wants to tell you a story. A story about 'natural wine'. So, join him, as we travel back in time to a more innocent time...
What can the soft drinks industry learn from The Coca-Cola Co? - Comment 5 Jun 2018
With the FIFA World Cup tournament in Russia just around the corner, the most suitable analogy when considering The Coca-Cola Co's recent performance would be to look at how the group's brands are performing on the global stage and, ultimately, decide whether the company will win or lose.
Will Diageo's American Anthem make vodka great again? - Comment 1 Jun 2018
Monday this week was Memorial Day in the US, a federal holiday in honour of those killed while serving in the country's armed forces. Thanks to a recent product launch from Diageo, consumers were also encouraged to raise a patriotic glass of vodka in their memory. But, can American Anthem make vodka great again? Richard Woodard is sceptical.
What can the brewing industry learn from Anheuser-Busch InBev? - Comment 29 May 2018
If there is a single overriding lesson to be learned from just-drinks' analysis of Anheuser-Busch InBev's performance over the last five years, it is one more obvious than a pint of IPA at a Champagne tasting. Put bluntly, that lesson is: Global expansion + cost reduction = increased profitability.
Why Deposit Return Schemes are the ultimate option for soft drinks - Comment 24 May 2018
Our soft drinks commentator returns! This month, Richard Corbett considers the Deposit Return Scheme concept and flags why the soft drinks industry should welcome it with open arms.
Why The Macallan 2.0 is the ultimate challenge to its Scotch whisky rivals - Comment 22 May 2018
The opening this week of The Macallan's newly-"reimagined" Scotch whisky distillery by Edrington is a defining moment in the category, believes Neil Ridley. So, what is the knock-on effect for the rest of the Scotch industry?
Why a growing craft brewer isn't always a takeover target – Comment 17 May 2018
Last month, the US trade organisation for craft brewers, the Brewers Association, released a most interesting list. just-drinks' resident beer commentator, Stephen Beaumont takes a closer look at the chart of the fastest-growing US craft brewers in 2017.
What can the wine industry learn from Concha y Toro? - Comment 15 May 2018
When the aristocratic Don Melchor de Casa Concha wanted to keep thirsty winery workers from drinking his best wine, he made up a story that the devil lived in the wine cellar where the barrels were kept. It was a high-risk strategy.
Plaudits to Anheuser-Busch InBev but will electric haulage be a box-office flop? - Comment 4 May 2018
It is a quirk of Hollywood that two movies on the same subject will sometimes appear at the same time.
Falling out with flavour - when is a gin not a gin? - Comment 3 May 2018
As more companies launch so-called 'flavoured gins', Richard Woodard considers the rules around gin production and the impact of the flavour trend on the gin category.
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