Launched in April, the Drinks & International Wines division is dedicated to managing the new category will focus on German wines, New World wines, wine-based cocktails, alcohol-free wines and cocktails, and licensed products with and without alcohol. The new products are bottled in Germany and Alsace, and are distinct from its Bordeaux wine offering, GCF says. Holger Meier, Drinks & International Wines division, director said: “Low…
Chief financial officer Gilles Bogaert said it is hoped the ‘operational excellence roadmap’ initiative, that will be rolled out between fiscal year 2016 through 2020. He said the reduction in SKUs will provide focus for improved sales opportunities and reduce inventories levels. “The operational roadmap we launched over a year ago is one of our key business priorities. We want to grow the top line…
Copper Alley is the second expression from the distillery and joins Oak Devil in the premium Irish whiskey range. The limited release is double barrelled, with 10 years in Bourbon casks and finished in 30 year old Oloroso Sherry casks for six months. Bottled at 46%, the non chill-filtered variant is on global release from this month for €50. Darryl McNally, master distiller, said: “My…
Sazerac said the investment that will be injected into the craft spirits brand through the acquisition will accelerate its ‘ambitious’ growth plans while also allowing the existing Last Drop Distillers board team to continue to run the business autonomously. James Espey, co-founder and chairman of The Last Drop Distillers, said: “This acquisition marks the next stage of The Last Drop Distillers story that will see…
Speaking at the Pernod Ricard F16 briefing yesterday, the chief financial officer said the company’s mid-term objective is to stablise the brand and increase media investment. “It is not easy to change,” Bogaert said. “Vodka is a very competitive category and there are price pressures at play. Absolut is one of the largest vodkas in the US and in the world but we have not…
African Queen, Time to Time, Lost Summer and Feisty Cali Belg join the range of small-batch beers brewed at the Greenwich craft brewer’s new Pilot Brewery. Meantime says African Queen is a 6.0% abv single-hopped IPA with citrus and berry aromas. Time to Time (4.0% abv) is a “modern-take on a traditional Saison de Nuit”, Lost Summer (5.0% abv) a “fruity, hoppy lager for…
The fifth permanent Redbreast expression is finished in hand selected, first-fill sherry butts that are seasoned with Oloroso sherry from Bodegas Lustau in Jerez, Spain. Billy Leighton, Midleton head blender, told DI: “The whiskey industry in general takes a lot of what is here in Jerez for granted. It is not a simple thing they are doing and we are kind of giving back to the…
_________________________ WITH THE OLYMPICS streaming out of the television every waking hour it’s hard not to feel the slightest bit of guilt about how inactive we are. Gym memberships might spike as a result but the health drive has been weighing on our minds for a while and its gathering momentum has started to impact on the drinks industry at the…
Maker’s 46 has been available in the US since 2010 and it is hoped the time is right to roll it out in the UK market. It will launch initially in Harrods on August 26. Janice McIntosh, Maxxium UK marketing controller for imported whiskey, told DI: “Bourbon is up 60% in the UK off trade and 40% in the on trade. We are really look…
“When Bulldog first started the focus was on the US and the UK,” Bulldog’s James Coston told DI. “Then Spain called and the gin craze changed things. Spain was doing so well that the UK and the US was put on the back burner. Now that Spain is ticking over we can invest that money in other markets.” Bulldog reported global growth of 30% last…
