Latest drinks industry interviews

"If you're a very small gin distillery, I think your days are numbered" - Mangrove MD Nick Gillett - CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL 27 Mar 2020

Andy Morton

The head of UK high-end spirits distributor Mangrove has spoken of his fears for the spirits industry as the coronavirus crisis deepens, warning that large distillers with production tied to one location may have issues sourcing bottles.

"Powers is the sleeping giant of Irish whiskey" - Interview - Irish Distillers global marketing director Brendan Buckley 11 Feb 2020

Andy Morton

Brendan Buckley is the global marketing director for Pernod Ricard's Irish Distillers unit, owner of the Jameson whiskey brand. As Irish whiskey continues to grow in popularity outside of its core US market, just-drinks spoke to Buckley about raising the awareness of Irish Distillers' other brands. He also talked about the recent success of rival whiskey Proper No. 12, fronted by mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor, as well as moves to ramp up Jameson's e-commerce footprint.

"The minute you react to short-term volatility, that's when businesses get into trouble" - just-drinks speaks to Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes 31 Jan 2020

Olly Wehring

Earlier this week, Diageo released half-year results that showed sales growth slowing to +4%. Following the announcement, just-drinks editor Olly Wehring sat down with group CEO Ivan Menezes to drill down into the numbers.

"Let me say right here, plastic in itself is not the issue" - Interview - Refresco CEO Hans Roelofs 31 Jan 2020

Andy Morton

just-drinks deputy editor Andy Morton spoke to Hans Roelofs, Refresco CEO for almost 13 years, about why we can expect more US M&A activity from the group. Roelofs also gives his inside take on the CCEP purchase and talks about plastic's position as a priority for the soft drinks industry.

"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.