Latest drinks industry interviews

"Drinking has its taboo side in India, but that's changing" - just-drinks speaks to William Grant & Sons' India head, Sachin Mehta 28 Jan 2020

Andy Morton

It has been a decade since William Grant & Sons established a standalone distribution unit in India. You may ask what took the company so long - India, after all, has long been the world's largest whisk(e)y market by volume and Scotch giants Diageo and Pernod Ricard have been in-market much longer.

"US craft distillers are saying their calls aren't being returned" - just-drinks speaks to Distilled Spirits Council CEO Chris Swonger - Part II 21 Jan 2020

Olly Wehring

We have more from the Distilled Spirits Council! Following on from part one last week, the second part of our interview with DISCUS CEO Chris Swonger looks at the craft spirits segment in the US and updates us on what's keeping the trade association busy on the home front.

"The Trump administration has been bold in addressing long-standing trade barriers" - just-drinks speaks to Distilled Spirits Council CEO Chris Swonger - Part I 16 Jan 2020

Olly Wehring

Spirits producers in the US had plenty to worry about last year, and 2020 shows little sign of respite. Late last week, just-drinks spoke to Chris Swonger, the CEO of trade association the Distilled Spirits Council of the US. In this, the first in an exclusive, two-part interview, Swonger, who assumed the role in late-2018, leads us through the twists and turns of tariffs and trade talks in recent months.

"Consumers are not stupid - they're the trendsetters" - just-drinks speaks to Diageo's chief digital officer, Ben Sutherland - Part II 13 Dec 2019

Olly Wehring

Olly Wehring speaks to Diageo's chief digital officer, Ben Sutherland. Here, in the second part of an exclusive two-part interview, Sutherland talks about breaking through to 'dark social', the power of imfluencers and the lack of a digital rule book for beverage.

"The shift we're seeing is towards more personal and private social networks" - just-drinks speaks to Diageo's chief digital officer, Ben Sutherland - Part I 10 Dec 2019

Olly Wehring

Earlier this year, just-drinks published its latest issue of FUTURES, a series of reports that consider the longer-term future. The report, 'Over the Influence? The future of social media' is available to download free of charge here. For the report, editor Olly Wehring spoke to Diageo's chief digital officer, Ben Sutherland. Here, in an exclusive two-part interview, Sutherland tells us what he does, how he does it and why it's the shape of things to come.

"It's still really hard for black and brown entrepreneurs to raise capital in CBD" - Tanisha Robinson, CEO of CBD beverage company W*nder 6 Nov 2019

Thandie Sibanda

Earlier this year, Tanisha Robinson quit her role as chief disruption officer at Scottish craft brewer BrewDog to create her own CBD-infused drinks brand. W*nder (pronounced 'wonder') is a CSD that contains vitamins and CBD to provide energy, focus and a "better life balance". Robinson credits herself as a black female CEO that has tapped into an industry that other ethnic minorities may never gain access to. This week, just-drinks spoke to Robinson to learn how her previous employment experiences have influenced her start-up and what the future holds for her CBD drinks brand ahead of next year's launch.

"In the future, all of our products should be in paper packaging" - Louise Werner, director of future packaging at Pernod Ricard’s The Absolut Co 28 Oct 2019

Andy Morton

Pernod Ricard's Absolut vodka division has joined a group of companies including Carlsberg and The Coca-Cola Co to develop paper packaging robust enough to hold beverages. The companies have formed Paboco, a paper bottle company that has just released two prototypes. Earlier this month, just-drinks spoke to Absolut's Louise Werner, director for the future of packaging, to hear how paper bottles could save companies money and help achieve sustainability goals.

"The Constellation deal helps to take my choke-chain off" - just-drinks speaks to Montanya Distillers CEO Karen Hoskin 21 Oct 2019

Olly Wehring

Late last week, the co-founder & CEO of Montanya Distillers was in London for the city's annual Rum Week and Rumfest. Karen Hoskins found time to meet with just-drinks to look back at the history of the Colorado-based craft spirits company and to tell the story of Constellation Brand's stake purchase in July.

"We are already producing Champagne in a climate that's different from our fathers'" - just-drinks speaks to the Comite Champagne 9 Oct 2019

Andy Morton

The Champagne industry prides itself on being at the forefront of the climate change battle, producing in 2001 wine's first report on the effects a warming planet will have on growing and production. This week, Champagne's overseer, the Comité Champagne (CIVC), released its latest sustainability report, revealing that climate change is no longer a prospect on the horizon but is already having an effect on how Champagne is made. Earlier this week, just-drinks sat down with CIVC director of communications Thibaut Le Mailloux to talk about the threat of climate change and what needs to be done to protect Champagne.

"Not being in the American whiskey category has been something we wanted to change" - just-drinks speaks to Pernod Ricard CFO Helene de Tissot - Part II 19 Sep 2019

Olly Wehring

In the first part of our exclusive interview with Pernod Ricard CFO Hélène de Tissot, we learned more about her experiences in Asia and in M&A. Here, in part two, de Tissot discusses Kentucky Bourbon, Castle Brands, Chinese whiskey and Pernod's wine operations.