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.

Scottish spirits company Edrington saw its core revenue rise 11% for the year to 31 March 2024, driven by The Macallan which saw double-digit growth.

RX, the organiser of the BCB trade events, has announced that from 2025, Imbibe Live will join the portfolio and rebrand as BCB London.

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

Japan’s Suntory Holdings has announced the creation of a new division in India to accelerate growth within the region.

Spirits volumes declined by 5% in the UK last year amid excise duty changes, the cost-of-living crisis, and a trend towards moderation according to a new report from IWSR.

Diageo has announced that Singapore-based consumer group Tolaram is set to acquire Diageo’s 58.02% shareholding in Guinness Nigeria.

The parent company of Suntory Global Spirits has denied being in early discussions to acquire Boston Beer Co (BBC) amid claims.

The Ada Coleman Project, a dedicated digital space for women, has launched with the aim to foster gender equality and diversity within the industry.

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) has announced that Georgie Bell will join its Board of Trustees this month.

Diageo has announced that Nik Jhangiani will join the company as chief financial officer (CFO) in autumn 2024, also joining Diageo’s board and executive committee. 

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

Pernod Ricard has reported a 2% decline in Q3 organic net sales driven by double-digit declines in China and the US.

Campari Group has doubled the production capacity of Aperol by expanding its Novi Ligure plant in northwest Italy.

Brown-Forman has launched its own distribution business in Japan to bring its distribution in-house for the first time since entering the market in the 1970s.

Edrington and Beam Suntory have announced that their distribution agreement in the UK will be coming to an end on 31 January 2025.

US-based drinks group Sazerac has announced the purchase of ready-to-drink cocktail brand Buzzballz for an undisclosed fee.

Drinks group Diageo has announced that current non-executive director, Sir John Manzoni, will be appointed chair of the board upon the retirement of current chair Javier Ferrán.

Two-thirds of British adults say that eating and drinking out is still a priority for them despite the cost-of-living crisis according to new research from Zonal in partnership with CGA by NIQ and UKHospitality.

Drinks giant Diageo saw a 1.4% decline in net sales in the first half of fiscal 2024 due to a 23% decline in trading in Latin America and Caribbean markets.

Diageo has announced an open innovation call for improvements that will lessen and more effectively manage water usage across five areas of its global supply chain.

Beam Suntory France has officially begun operations and is directly responsible for the marketing and distribution of its portfolio in France.

Spirits group Beam Suntory has announced the appointment of Jamey Martin as the company’s chief diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) officer.

The no-alcohol share of the total beverage alcohol market is expected to grow to nearly 4% by 2027 according to a newly published report from IWSR.

Gruppo Campari has agreed a billion-pound deal to buy Beam Suntory's cognac brand Courvoisier. 

Smirnoff owner Diageo has launched a global report offering insight into consumer trends around the world. 

Fine wine and spirits merchant Berry Bros. & Rudd has announced a double-digit sales growth of 11.1% to £254.3 million for the financial year ending 31 March 2023.

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

Drinks giant, Diageo has announced a global partnership with ecoSpirits to scale the distribution of the Diageo portfolio in reusable packaging to 18 markets over the next three years.

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

In the Autumn Statement, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt unveiled the plan to freeze alcohol duty until August next year.

Nc’nean Distillery Limited has secured a Virgin Money funding package with the backing of UK Government department, UK Export Finance (UKEF), to help the independent distillery grow in North American markets.

Johnnie Walker owner Diageo is expecting to see a decline in profit in the first half of fiscal 2024, due to a “weaker performance” in Latin America and Caribbean (LAC). 

Drinks distributor Speciality Brands has signed an agreement with French spirits producer Distillerie de Grandmont to exclusively distribute the brand’s expressions in the UK from this month.

Multinational spirits group Beam Suntory has announced plans to launch Beam Suntory France in January 2024, establishing the Maker’s Mark and Yamazaki owner’s own route-to-market in Europe’s largest whisky market.

Italian drinks company and owner of Disaronno and Tia Maria, Illva Saronno Group, has bought a majority stake in US rye whiskey brand and distillery, Sagamore Spirit.

International Beverage has announced its acquisition of New Zealand spirits producer, Cardrona Distillery.

BrewDog Distilling Co has appointed Oak & Still as the UK distributor for its spirit portfolio of Abstrakt vodka, DUO rum and LoneWolf gin. 

International Beverage has entered into an agreement with Anora Group plc to acquire its Larsen Cognac business.

Stock Spirits Group has announced the finalisation of two acquisitions including Clan Campbell from Pernod Ricard and the purchase of the Société Dugas.

De Monnik Dranken (DMD) has announced its partnership with Global Brands Ltd in the Netherlands.

Pernod Ricard saw organic net sales rise 10% in fiscal 2023, driven by strong growth across all spirits categories, alongside broad-based growth across all regions.

Pernod Ricard’s dedicated Scotch business, Chivas Brothers, has announced an increase in net sales of 17% in the 2023 fiscal year, taking total sales to a ten-year high.

Burnt Faith has partnered with drinks specialists, Proof Drinks, to drive interest in British brandy houses across the UK.

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

Molson Coors Beverage Company has reached an agreement to acquire Blue Run Spirits, producer of bourbon and rye whiskies.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association has launched the UK’s first comprehensive alcohol guide for the no and low category.

The new Hospitality Market Monitor from CGA by NIQ and AlixPartners has revealed that in the last 12 months, Britain has lost around one in 18 of its licensed premises, 5,736 pubs, hotels, restaurants, bars and cafes.

Illva Saronno Group, the owner of brands Disaronno and Tia Maria, have announced the appointment of Marco Ferrari as the new chief executive of the group.

Beam Suntory’s president and CEO, Albert Baladi, has announced that he will transition CEO responsibilities effective 1 October this year to Greg Hughes, the company’s current senior vice president chief growth and brands officer.