Earlier this year hundreds of global industry figures gathered in Schiedam to bid farewell to De Kuyper Royal Distillers’ Mark de Witte, who retired after nine years as chief executive at the company. 

African Originals, the beverage company behind brands such as Kenyan Originals, African Originals and 5.8 has raised USD$2m in a funding round led by Phoenix Beverages Limited, Mauritius' largest beverage company. 

Campari Group has acquired a minority stake in the owner of single malt whisky brand Bunnahabhain.

Ardbeg Distillery is reviving its 17 Years Old in a limited edition shared exclusively with the Ardbeg Committee.

Viña Concha y Toro has achieved the re-certification as a B Corporation, which recognises those companies that meet high standards of environmental, governance and social performance.

Viña Concha y Toro has seen revenue growth of 17.7% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2024 to Ch$237,348 million, while profit also increased 243.1%.

Zamora Company has announced record turnover for 2023 with €268 million and a 21.5% increase in sales since 2021.

Freixenet Copestick and Spain’s Zamora Company have agreed a strategic distribution partnership for the Zamora portfolio of wines in the UK and Northern Ireland. 

Danish company Carlsberg has agreed a £3.3bn deal to buy the UK business of Britvic as well as the remaining 40% share in its joint brewing venture with Marston’s.

The founders of Avallen Spirits, the owner of Avallen Calvados, Stephanie Jordan-Balmforth and Tim Etherington-Judge, have announced a new consultancy company.

BrewDog has announced that James Arrow, currently COO, will succeed James Watt as CEO of the company, as part of a succession plan put in place last year.

Viña Concha y Toro has recorded sales growth of 26.4% for the first quarter of its financial year as it continues to recover from a challenging 2023.

Beam Suntory has rebranded to become Suntory Global Spirits, as the company marks 10 years since Suntory Holdings acquired Beam Inc in 2014.

Molson Coors Beverage Company has announced its plans to invest more than £100m in its UK brewery and beverage network over the next five years.

Whisky producer, The Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC), and owner of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS), has acquired US-based independent bottling brand, Single Cask Nation.

East London Liquor Co has been bought out of administration following “harsh new conditions” on its Time to Pay agreement with HMRC.

Sazerac Company has announced the renaming of subsidiary spirits distributor Hi-Spirits UK, to Sazerac UK.

The advisory board of Familia Torres has agreed to begin a generational transition process in which the current chief executive, Miquel Torres Maczassek, will be appointed president of the company.

For the fourth year in a row, Buffalo Trace owner, Sazerac Company, has been named American Whiskey Producer of the Year by Drinks International’s International Spirits Challenge (ISC).

The Elevated Spirits Company, producer of the Cierto Tequila portfolio, has announced the appointment of its senior leadership team.

After 127 years, having survived San Francisco’s 1906 earthquake, Prohibition and both World Wars, Anchor Brewing Company is closing down due to recent economic pressures.

Newly unredacted documents have shed light on US rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs claims of racial discrimination against drinks giant Diageo.

White rum Hoolie, distilled in an old milking shed, will soon be sold in Harrods as the Isle-of-Man-based spirits company continues its London takeover.

Spiribam-UK and its fruit liqueur, eaux-de-vie and vermouth company, Joseph Cartron, have announced the UK winner of its Cartron Unexpected Cocktail Competition, Keoghán Taylor of Kiki Lounge. 

Diageo has announced that its chief executive officer Sir Ivan Menezes will be retiring and is set to depart from the Diageo Board on 30 June this year, following 10 years leading the company.

Premium beer company, Bira 91, has raised $10m from MUFG Bank, Ltd. (MUFG Bank), Japan's largest bank, as the brand continues to grow at a rapid pace, tripling its market share from pre-covid levels.

Fercullen Irish Whiskey from the Powerscourt Estate will now be available across the US as a result of a new distribution partnership with Zamora Company USA.

Mangrove Global, the premium UK spirits distributor, has announced the addition of East London Liquor Company to its portfolio.

Jack Daniel’s owner Brown-Forman has confirmed the purchase of gin brand Gin Mare from Spanish premium drinks company, Vantguard.

A strong performance in key markets saw Beam Suntory’s net sales increase by 13% year-on-year in the first half of 2022, a 25% increase on the pre-pandemic period in 2019.

The Spirit of Manchester Distillery has launched its first whisky, the OnePointSix English, as it moves into the whisky market with a £1 million investment, the biggest since it was founded in 2016.

Hazelwood Demesne Limited, owner of the Lough Gill Distillery in Sligo, has announced its acquisition by the Sazerac Company to develop the historical site.

Viña Concha y Toro has reported that profits rose by 26.7% in 2021 with sales of premium wines accounting for more than half of company revenues for the first time.

United Spirits Limited (Diageo India) has announced an investment of INR 31.5 crores (US$ 4.1m) to acquire a strategic minority stake in Nao Spirits.

The announcement of Martin Green’s departure from Drinks International marks the end of an era for Agile Media and a significant loss for the wider drinks trade.

Spain’s Zamora Company has appointed Javier Pijoan as its new CEO to replace former chief executive Emilio Restoy.

Logistics companies within the global drinks industry have been battered by an unprecedented confluence of headwinds during the past 18 months.

Hatch Mansfield managing director Patrick McGrath MW is stepping up to the newly created role of chairman.

The London Essence Company has announced that The Essence House pop-up is returning to Covent Garden throughout October for London Cocktail Week 2021.

Boston Beer Company saw its share price plummet by almost 10% yesterday after weak demand for hard seltzer forced it to pull its earnings guidance.

Celebrated wine writer Jancis Robinson MW has sold her eponymous website to U.S. digital media company Recurrent Ventures for an undisclosed sum.

It has been a sobering quarter for hard seltzers. Sales of the canned RTD that disrupted the US alcohol market when it burst on to the scene in 2016 have finally stalled.

Zamora Company has announced a -17.2% drop in turnover in 2020 compared to the previous year.

Ardgowan Distillery has announced a new one million litre single malt distillery and visitor centre, built on the Ardgowan Estate in Inverclyde, Scotland.

Leading Chilean wine producer Concha y Toro has reported an 8.2% revenue increase in the first three months of 2021.

BR Distilling Company in Memphis, US, has gained distribution across Texas as part of its rapid domestic expansion.

The Worshipful Company of Distillers has announced a new programme of scholarships and bursaries for more than 100 students over the next three years.

Canada’s third largest cannabis company has agreed a $300 million deal to purchase Atlanta-based brewer SweetWater.

Spanish drinks producer Zamora Company has reported that turnover increased 6.3% to €208 million in 2019.

Pernod Ricard has become the latest major company to halt advertising on Facebook and Twitter in a bid to stop the spread of hatred and misinformation.