There’s something quite transfixing – almost hypnotic – when it comes to looking at the latest brand figures for spirits around the world. You cannot stop. More particularly so as there seems to be so much cause for celebration in the 2011 round-up. There’s Johnnie Walker scotch whisky on an incredible 18 million cases; the Irish whiskey Jameson’s posting a 20%-plus increase and now nudging the 4 million case-mark, well I could go on, and on. But one result has really warmed the cockles of my heart – and that’s William Grant’s single malt scotch whisky Glenfiddich.
Covid-19 and Brexit hit UK gin exports
UK gin exports decreased by £100 million in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to new figures from HM Revenue & Customs.
Pubs across the UK will miss out on 14 million sales of pints this St Patrick’s Day due to lockdown closures, the British Beer & Pub Association has reported.
I Heart Wines sales exceeded 31m bottles in 2020
More than 31 million bottles of the I Heart wine brand were sold in 2020 after it enjoyed significant growth in several international markets.
Campari Group reports profit decline for 2020
Campari Group has reported that net adjusted profit decreased 24.4% year-on-year to €202.1 million in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The tequila industry enjoyed record levels of production and exports in 2020, according to the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT).
Wine.com sales increased 119% during 2020
U.S. online retailer Wine.com has revealed that revenue increased 119% year-on-year to reach $329 million during 2020.
Johnnie Walker pledges to plant one million trees in Scotland by 2025
Johnnie Walker has announced a commitment to plant one million trees across Scotland in the next five years.
Wine.com reports 217% revenue increase
Leading US online retailer Wine.com has reported a 217% year-on-year revenue increase for the six months to September 30.
Naked Wines revenues increase 79.6%
Naked Wines enjoyed 79.6% revenue growth in the six months to September 28 after demand for online wine purchases soared during the lockdown.
Bars and restaurants in the US added 192,000 jobs in October
Restaurants and bars in the US added 192,000 jobs in October, according to a new report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Aphria ties up $300m deal for SweetWater Brewing Co.
Canada’s third largest cannabis company has agreed a $300 million deal to purchase Atlanta-based brewer SweetWater.
Drynks Unlimited secures £1m equity investment following UAE listing
Alcohol free beer and cider specialist Drynks Unlimited has secured an additional £1 million investment in order to ramp up production.
Australian winemakers count the cost following The Wine Society collapse
Australian winemakers look set to receive just $20,000 of the $2 million they are owed after The Wine Society plunged into administration.
Brown-Forman beats expectations by posting robust Q1 results
A strong domestic performance ensured that Brown-Forman net sales decreased by just 2% year-on-year in the three months to July 31, 2020.
Brewdog to plant a million trees in bid for carbon negativity
Brewdog claims to be the world’s first carbon negative international beer producer after announcing plans to plan a million trees in the Scottish Highlands.
Diageo to purchase Aviation Gin in $610m deal
Diageo will purchase Aviation Gin and several sister brands in a deal worth up to $610 million.
South Africa urged to end "devastating" alcohol prohibition
The South African government has been urged to scrap its alcohol prohibition in order to avoid “devastating consequences” at home and abroad.
Campari reports H1 sales decline of 11%
Campari has reported that organic sales declined 11.3% in the first six months of 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Chivite pushes boundaries with barrel-fermented rosé
Spanish producer Chivite has launched a barrel-fermented rosé made from Garnacha grapes sourced from the Legardeta estate in northern Navarra.
Naked Wines has reported 81% year-on-year revenue growth during April and May as online orders spiked during the coronavirus lockdown.
Diageo Australia is giving away 130,000 free drinks to help bars across the country get back on their feet following the coronavirus lockdown.
Carlsberg UK will merge with Marston’s to form a British brewing giant worth around £780 million.
Bacardi has set up a $3m fund to help bar owners and bartenders make ends meet during the global coronavirus lockdown.
Diageo launches £1m fund to help cover bartenders' wages
Guinness producer Diageo has launched a £1m St Patrick’s Day fund to help bars pay their staff during these difficult times.
AB Inbev has drawn down the entirety of a $9bn loan facility from global banks as it bids to ride out the coronavirus outbreak.
Inver House Distillers, the Scotland-based spirits arm of International Beverage Holdings has reported a 28% increase in turnover for the year ending December 2011.
Pernod raises the stakes
Pernod Richard is raising the stakes in scotch whisky after a week in which it hosted a ‘Capital Markets Day’ of presentations up at its flagship Glenlivet distillery on Speyside.
Diageo buys Brazilian cachaça brand Ypióca
Diageo, the world's leading premium drinks business, has announced that it has reached agreement with Ypióca Agroindustrial Limitada to buy cachaça brand, Ypióca, and certain production assets.
Champagne regains fizz
The Champagne Bureau has reported increased shipments in 2011. Total shipments worldwide rose from 319.5 million bottles in 2010 to 323 million in 2011.
Licor 43 hits the 500,000 cases mark
The Diego Zamora group has reported that its Licor 43 brand finished 2011 with sales of 500 000 cases worldwide, 4.2 million liters, which represents an increase of more than 25% over 2010.
Campari expands Turkey pen with $44m investment
Gruppo Campari plans to build a US$44m bottling facility at the Wild Turkey distillery in Kentucky, US.
Sparkling sparkles in US
US consumption of imported sparkling wine will reach new heights in 2012 due to the increased penetration of prosecco and cava, says Wine Intelligence.
Irish Distillers confirms £100m expansion
Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard has confirmed it will spend €100m on the 2012 expansion of its Midleton Single Distillery, the site where Jameson is produced.
Africa: Diageo opens $55m brewery
Diageo subsidiary East African Breweries Limited (EABL) has opened a $55 million brewery in Moshi, Tanzania.
Pernod posts strong first quarter results
Pernod Ricard has announced net sales (excluding tax and duties) of €1.987 million for the first quarter of 2011/12 (July 1 – September 30, 2011).
Diageo strengthens ties with Facebook
Diageo has announced plans to step-up its multi-million dollar strategic partnership with social media website Facebook.
Diageo acquires additional Halico stake
Vietnam: Global drinks giant Diageo has closed a Public Offer to acquire an additional 5.07% stake in Hanoi Liquor Joint Stock Company (“Halico”) for approximately £6.4 million.
Heineken buys two Ethiopian breweries
Africa: Heineken has purchased two breweries in Ethiopia for a total of US$163 million.
Diageo to pay $16m in "illicit payments" case
US: The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has found Diageo to have made “hundreds of illicit payments” to foreign government officials in India, Thailand and South Korea.
Eristoff vodka goes for Gold
Bacardi Brown Forman Brands has launched a new vodka under the Eristoff brand.
Millionaires Club 2011 is published
Drinks International and Euromonitor International have published the Millionaires Club 2011. The report lists spirits brands that sell over one million nine-litre cases. A record 172 brands feature in this year’s edition and figures are based on 2010 sales volumes.
Ian Macleod buys Speyside distillery
Ian Macleod Distillers has purchased the Tamdhu distillery in Speyside, from the Edrington Group.
Diageo to take controlling stake in Chinese company
Chinese regulators have approved Diageo’s acquisition of an additional 4% stake in Sichuan Chengdu Quanxing Group (Quanxing) from Chengdu Yingsheng Investment Holding Co (Yingsheng).
Scotland: Diageo to invest £20m in Speyside whisky
Scotland: Diageo is to invest £20 million in its Speyside whisky facilities.
Diageo buys SAB's stake in Kenya Breweries
Diageo subsidiary East African Breweries (EAB) has purchased all of SAB Miller’s 20% shareholding in Kenya Breweries (KB). The transaction is worth US$225 million. The deal is subject to EAB disposing of its 20% shareholding in Tanzania Breweries – by way of public offer through the Dar-es-Salaam Stock Exchange.
Canada: Corby sells Seagram Coolers brand
Canada: Brick Brewing Company has acquired the Canadian rights to the Seagram Coolers brand from Corby Distilleries. The transaction closed upon signing.
Brown-Forman sells Fetzer to Concha y Toro
Brown-Forman has sold its Fetzer wine business to Concha y Toro for US$238 million. The transaction is expected to close in April 2011.
Diageo acquires Turkish spirits firm
Diageo has struck an agreement to acquire Turkey's "leading" spirits company, Mey Içki.
Nemiroff celebrates strong sales
Nemiroff has reported strong growth in 2010. The Ukrainian vodka brand said sales volumes rose to $473.6 million – $56.8 million (13.6%) up on the previous year. The company said the largest growth areas were Ukraine and Poland.