"I can see us getting Smirnoff into growth in the US next year" - Interview - Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes 27 Jul 2017

Lucy Britner

Following today's full-year 2017 results, just-drinks spoke to Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes about regional challenges, product innovation and acquisition strategy.

"More Chinese people like wine - they want to know more about it" - Interview, Alan's Wines & Spirits chairman Alan Wang 12 Jun 2017

Andy Morton

Alan Wang is the founder of Alan's Wines & Spirits, which has 86 off-premise sites across China. just-drinks sat down with him during the 2017 China Food & Drinks Fair in Chengdu, where he spoke about the changing face of the Chinese consumer and reveals what he looks for in wine before allowing it on his shelves.

"We need to look at the way Millennials experience wine drinking" - Interview, Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne MD Vincent Perrin 30 May 2017

Lucy Britner

In figures released by the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC) earlier this year, the Champagne segment posted its second-highest year for value sales, despite a slight volumes dip. Earlier this month, just-drinks sat down with CIVC managing director Vincent Perrin to get some insight into the numbers.

"Highland Park was a brand that lacked emotion" - Interview, Edrington's Highland Park brand director, Jason Craig 3 May 2017

Lucy Britner

Last week, Edrington unveiled a new whisky range, new packaging and a new brand position for its Highland Park single malt Scotch whisky brand. The Orkney-based distillery has created a back-story for Highland Park around the islands' Viking heritage. just-drinks sat down with Highland Park brand director Jason Craig at the launch in Denmark to find out more about the thinking behind the re-launch.

"Launching a brand new gin now would be a tough ask" - Interview, Wemyss Malts MD William Wemyss 10 Apr 2017

Lucy Britner

Late last month, Wemyss Malts announced plans to move its Darnley's gin production to its own, newly-created facility in Scotland. The gin, which launched in 2010, is currently produced at Thames Distillers in London.  At the same time, the firm announced that it has dropped 'View' from the brand name and rolled out fresh packaging as well as a Navy Strength version of its Spiced Gin brand. just-drinks sat down with Wemyss Malts founder and managing director William Wemyss in Edinburgh to find out why being "made in Scotland" is important.

"Do you go and buy Chivas Regal at Lidl? I don't think so" - Interview, Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits' CEO, Jean-Noël Reynaud 5 Apr 2017

Andy Morton

In 2013, Belvedere entered administration after falling into debt thanks to its purchase of the Marie Brizard liqueurs brand. Four years later, the French spirits company - renamed Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits - is debt free. What's more, its William Peel Scotch whisky has just become the top-selling spirits brand in France. Couple that with an entry into China and you have a company back on the up. just-drinks spoke to Marie Brizard's CEO since 2014, Jean-Noël Reynaud, about how he has turned the firm around by shunning premiumisation, as well as the benefits of Brexit. We also asked: Whatever happened to Bruce Willis?

"Everything we are doing is to create value, not volume" - Interview, Baron Philippe de Rothschild CEO Hugues Lechanoine 29 Mar 2017

Lucy Britner

Earlier this month, the CEO of Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Hugues Lechanoine visited London. During his visit, just-drinks sat down with him to discuss the family-owned wine company's flagship brand, Mouton Cadet, as well as the sponsorship opportunities available to wine and the issues facing wine companies in emerging markets.

"The way to drive dark spirits is to make them accessible. And accessible means mixed" - Interview, Fever-Tree founders Charles Rolls and Tim Warrillow 21 Mar 2017

Lucy Britner

When premium mixers firm Fever-Tree launched its IPO in late-2014, shares were priced at GBP1.34. Today, following the release of 2016's results, Fever-Tree's shares are trading at over GBP15. Late last month, just-drinks sat down with the company's founders, Charles Rolls and Tim Warrillow, who still own 21.8% of the company, to explore the reasons behind Fever-Tree's success.

"The obsession needs to be about top-line growth, but efficiency needs to be part of your habits" - Interview, Pernod Ricard CEO Alex Ricard - Part II 16 Mar 2017

Olly Wehring

Last month, just-drinks spoke at length with Alex Ricard, the CEO of Pernod Ricard. In the first part of our exclusive interview, Ricard considered the group's recent performances in India and China. He also discussed the use of price both to grow sales and to drive premiumisation. Here, in part two, he looks at some of the group's more important brands, the strategy behind acquiring craft spirits companies, and the changes he has introduced to Pernod since becoming CEO two years ago.

"If we stopped investing in places where we have headwinds, we'd stop investing everywhere" - Interview, Pernod Ricard CEO Alex Ricard - Part I 14 Mar 2017

Olly Wehring

Last month, the CEO of Pernod Ricard, Alex Ricard, was in London to discuss the group's half-year results. just-drinks sat down with Ricard following the press conference to look at both the numbers for the first six months of fiscal-2017 and Ricard's tenure so far, since assuming the leadership in early-2015. In the first part of our exclusive two-part interview, Alex considers Pernod's positions in India and China and shares his thoughts on pricing and the role it plays in a company's approach to premiumisation.