ALTHOUGH its apparent inexorable rise has been checked recently by disquiet and riots sparked by rising bus fares, the cost of staging the World Cup and Olympics and the cost of tickets, Brazil is the largest economy in Latin America. It is the third largest market for personal computers, fifth for mobile phones, and third largest agricultural producer. Only time will tell whether the…

Chile, like Diageo and Manchester United, just seems to keep going from strength to strength. Nothing appears to get in the way of its progress. Fortunately for the South American producer, it doesn’t have a sole leader so, it doesn’t have to worry about the likes of Paul Walsh and Sir Alex Ferguson moving on.  While Diageo and United face slightly uncertain futures…

In magic, there is a term called The Prestige. It refers to the third and most difficult part of a trick. It’s the most captivating, awe-inspiring and, well, magical part. For a while, it felt like Champagne wasn’t reaching The Prestige. It felt like it was just another sparkling wine.  But it’s not – and it never will be. In one sentence, Comité…

Framed in the doorway of his light, airy, Amsterdam office, Lucas Bols’ self-styled chief energising officer, Huub van Doorne, cuts an imposing figure – lean, angular and quietly assured. His bearing is relaxed, yet poised and alert, like that of a sportsman ready for the games to begin – a skier or a tennis player, perhaps. As it turns out, he is both,…

What should brands consider when deciding on a label? The strength of a label is defined by the market sector that the product is aimed at. A label going on a vodka mix is going to have different requirements to that of a high-end gin label, and different again for the real ale brigade. The only real rules for producing a strong drinks…

Rum has rightfully earned its reputation as the party animal of the spirits world. It’s the drink that likes to mix; the ingredient that puts the punch into the punchbowl; the glass of sunshine that evokes the warmth and personality of the countries in which it is produced. But, as the category has matured over the years, so rum has developed…

A woman in China has been jailed for four years and fined £50,000 for selling fake Scotch whisky, the first criminal conviction under the SCOTCH WHISKY collective trade mark. It was reported in the press in January that Chinese authorities prosecuted Li Cuihong, a wholesaler selling a range of fake alcoholic drinks, in Urumqi, in the west of the country for selling un-aged Chinese…