Czech brewer Budejovicky Budvar will be the next state-owned drinks producer to be privatised. Budvar will follow Sweden’s Absolut into private hands when the Czech ministry of agriculture reveals the sell-off process later this year. InBev and Anheuser-Busch are being tipped as potential bidders, although Carlsberg has money to play with following its share restructure earlier this year. Budvar would also be a good…

Russian Standard vodka is one of the first high-profile brands to confirm its entry into the Indian market since the country abolished its federal additional duty on imported spirits. Russian Standard’s Platinum brand will be handled by the Narang Group in Indian metropolitan areas, including Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Goa. Narang is a logistics, food distribution and marketing company whose existing brand links…

Caribbean spirits producer Angostura has announced ambitious plans for growth in the US following its acqui­sition of the country’s biggest spirits distillery from Pernod-Ricard USA in June. Angostura is to establish a US headquarters at the former Seagram distillery at Lawrenceburg, Indiana. The company said the move would make it the largest independent spirits producer in the US and also claimed it would significantly improve…

The Giesen family has appointed Rabobank to ­handle the sale of its Marlborough winery, but says it will continue with the business if the price isn’t right. The company was founded 26 years ago by three brothers Theo, Alex and Marcel, and there have been “unsolicited approaches” for the business in recent years, with increased interest this year. General manager Jim Veitch said: “There is…

European drinks producers are facing spiralling raw material costs, raising fears that export prices may have to rise. Adverse weather conditions have affected cereal crops in northern Europe, and the shortfall could add to a rising cost base that has already seen significant pressure on packaging materials such as glass and aluminium. SAB Miller’s Czech subsidiary Plzensky Prazdroj said the cost of Czech barley and…

Nigeria has overtaken Ireland as the number two market for Guinness, behind the UK. Brand owner Diageo said fresh distribution for the beer brand in Korea and India this year showed how the global footprint for Guinness was moving from its traditional English speaking territories. Sales across Africa were up by 17 per cent in the financial year to June 30, driven by a new…

Dutch brewer Grolsch has expanded its global footprint with distribution partnerships in Australia and Kazakhstan. The Australian deal with Premium Beverages will see Grolsch sold alongside Budweiser in the Australian market. Premium was set up in 2002 as an 80-20 joint venture between Australian brewer Coopers and Budweiser agent American Beverage Distributors. Rob Snel, president of Grolsch International, said: “The sales performance of Premium Beverages…