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Diageo

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In the US, carbonated water has become a non-alcoholic beverage star, as consumers choose sparkling waters and seltzers instead of carbonated soft drinks to cut calorie and sugar consumption. The same trend is now crossing over into flavoured alcoholic beverages (FABs), as so-called 'hard seltzers' have emerged as a promising new niche.

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This month, Ray Rowlands explores the world of adult soft drinks and highlights the growing threat they pose to the alcoholic drinks industry.

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While each of the BRIC markets continue to throw up their own set of hurdles to sustained, long-term growth, the major spirits companies are becoming ever-more-thankful to the US for its safe bet positioning.

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In this month's Sustainability Spotlight, Ben Cooper examines how Diageo's investment in a UK drinks start-up represents a commercial and sustainability win-win.

Much as the markets of Europe and the US tend to dominate the brewing headlines, Diageo's beer business also operates further afield from these craft playgrounds. In the second- of our two-part interview, Diageo's global head of beer, Mark Sandys, details the importance of Africa, the rise of Guinness in Korea and how the company is tackling new restrictions in Indonesia.

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It is late afternoon on what has been a long day. But, Mark Reynier, formerly the head of Bruichladdich and now founder of Renegade Spirits, still has the energy to vent his grievances over the Irish whiskey industry he has inhabited for just over a year.

Diageo has launched a limited edition pumpkin spiced rum, designed for the shot occasion. The company claims the product is the first ever pumpkin spiced rum launch in the US.

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Diageo has unveiled plans for a regeneration project on the former site of its Johnnie Walker plant in the west of Scotland.

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The Diageo-controlled United Spirits has released a honey-flavoured version of its flagship whisky brand, McDowell's No. 1.

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Diageo's Australian unit has confirmed that its commercial director in the country will step down after just over a year in the role.

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Diageo's Australian unit has launched an advertising campaign to support the launch of new RTD Bundaberg Rum Lazy Bear. 

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The president of Diageo's Europe, Turkey and Russia unit has hailed a return to on-premise consumption in Spain.

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The UK's decision to leave the European Union has not had a notable impact on Diageo's business, according to the president of its Europe, Russia and Turkey unit.

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Kenya Breweries has released a new RTD variant under the Smirnoff vodka brand.

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Diageo has unveiled the first adverts for Haig Club Clubman, the second expression from its David Beckham-backed single grain Scotch whisky range.

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Diageo is to combine its US and Canadian spirits divisions as part of a North American shake-up at the company.

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Diageo's Johnnie Walker is to shrug off gloomy forecasts for Travel Retail and invest in the channel over the upcoming gifting period, the brand's head has said.

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A new Johnnie Walker range is not intended to emulate Bourbon, the brand's global director has said, after initial expressions all featured a North American style.

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Diageo-controlled Guinness Nigeria has reported a loss for its most recent fiscal year as macro-economic headwinds continue to hamper performance.

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Diageo's Johnnie Walker brand has consolidated its dominance of Global Travel Retail's spirits shelves, although Pernod Ricard's Absolut has been overtaken by Chivas Regal and Brown-Forman's Jack Daniel's, according to figures from The IWSR.

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The CEO of Diageo has flagged a good start to the group's current fiscal year, with a "stronger performance" expected in the months ahead.

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Renewed distributor optimism for Diageo's Captain Morgan has added weight to prospects of a US turnaround for the rum brand.

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A new report has found that drinkers in the UK do not feel that price has much impact on the amount of alcohol they buy.

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Diageo has launched a new Guinness extension, developed at its experimental brewery in Dublin. 

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Diageo is set to cut just over a quarter of the workforce at its headquarters in London, according to local reports, although just-drinks understands that the number could be markedly lower.

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Diageo's Australian unit has announced a AUD20m (US$15m) marketing campaign in support of a new range of healthier RTD products in the country.

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Diageo has announced the line-up for its 2016 Special Releases Collection. The limited edition whiskies form part of the company's ongoing Special Release programme.

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Diageo has launched a limited-edition Johnnie Walker that is the first release from an experimental new range called Blenders' Batch.

just-drinks is in Cannes this week the Tax Free World Association show. Here's the second part of Andy Morton's blog, which will keep you up-to-date at one of the most important dates in the Travel Retail calendar.

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With the Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller deal nicely on its way, the real business can begin in earnest - thinking up a new company name.