Beam Suntory has taken over British craft gin and vodka producer, Sipsmith.

Gruppo Campari has announced the sale of Italian wineries Sella & Mosca and Teruzzi & Puthod for €62 million.

William Reed has acquired The World’s 50 Best Bars awards from Drinks International’s publisher Agile Media.

Constellation buys and sells

18 October, 2016

Constellation Brands has announced the sale of its Canadian wine business and is buying Charles Smith Wines, High West Distillery and a minority stake in Bardstown Bourbon Company.

Matteo d’Imporzano has been appointed managing director of Codorníu in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Anheuser-Busch InBev has announced the completion of the deal to buy SABMiller.

William Grant & Sons has reported a record profit after tax of £147.4m*, an increase of 8.9% year-on-year.

Ian Macleod Distillers has announced that it has bought the Spencerfield Spirit Company, including its flagship brand, Edinburgh Gin.

Edrington unveils new HQ

14 September, 2016

Edrington, has announced the location of its new international headquarters: 100 Queen Street, by Glasgow’s Royal Exchange Square.

The Sazerac Company has acquired The Last Drop Distillers for an undisclosed amount. 

Pernod Ricard has outlined a global initiative to reduce ‘portfolio complexity’ by reducing the number of SKUs by up to 30% in some markets.

Pernod Ricard has reported profit from recurring operations, the measuring stick that analysts and the company use, rose 2% during its fiscal year 2015/16 to €2.28 billion.

The Famous Grouse Experience at Glenturret Distillery has been shortlisted at the Courier Business Awards in the tourism, leisure and hospitality business of the year category.

Bar Convent Berlin organisers have announced that the UK will be this year’s ‘country of honour’.

The EU Commission has set out the initial findings and possible revision of the alcohol excise duty structure.

Edrington announces new CFO

10 August, 2016

Edrington has announced the appointment of Paul Hyde as its new chief financial officer.

WSTA reaches out

10 August, 2016

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association has reached out to help establish and offer on-going support to a new alliance of small distillers and other spirit producers.

Stock Spirits Group, a leading central and eastern European branded spirits producer, has announced its results for the six months to June 30 2016.

Gruppo Campari has reported sales of €743.9 million and group net profit €67.2m, down -13.8%.

Conviviality Plc, the UK's leading independent wholesaler and alcohol distributor and franchised retail outlets, has appointed David Robinson to the board as managing director of Conviviality Retail.

Diageo has reported that net sales are down 3% but operating profit grew 1.6% for the year ended June 30, 2016.

Diageo has welcomed the release of the latest Producers’ Commitments report by the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking.

Edrington has announced profits of £72.7m for the year ended March 31, 2016, down £7m on the previous year.

The Food and Drink Federation has called on the new UK Prime Minister Theresa May to safeguard the interests of Britain’s food and drink manufacturers’ in negotiations to leave the European Union.

Diageo has announced a five year partnership with WaterAid, an international NGO providing access to safe water and sanitation in some of the world’s poorest communities.

A House of Lords Committee, set up especially to look at the Licensing Act 2003, and the liberalisation of opening hours in the UK, has launched its investigation.

Diageo has announced that Johnnie Walker is to have new packaging which will display on-pack alcohol content and nutritional information per typical serve.

Diageo has announced that Johnnie Walker is to have new packaging which will display on-pack alcohol content and nutritional information, per typical serve.

Stella David, the former CEO of William Grant & Sons, has rejoined Bacardi as a board member

Pernod Ricard UK has announced that its managing director, Denis O’Flynn, has decided to leave at the end of September.

The Scotch Whisky Association calls for unity as the UK electorate votes to leave the European Union

Agile Media will re-launch bartender magazine CLASS this autumn. 

Diageo and the United Nations’ Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) have formed a partnership to try and reduce traffic death and injuries globally.

Diageo has announced that Javier Ferrán will be appointed to the Diageo board as a non-executive director from July 22 and will be appointed chairman on 1 January 2017, on the retirement of Dr Franz Humer.

Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits has announced that, at the upcoming shareholders’ meeting to be held on 21 June 21, shareholders will be asked to approve the appointment of two new board members.

Emma Wykes has been made head of global Sales at Black Cow Pure Milk vodka, as part of its global expansion plans.

Pernod Ricard has announced a new round of organisational changes as part of its ‘Dart’ initiative to grow company share, specifically in the US.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association will announce on Tuesday that Britain’s wine trade has more than doubled in the last decade.

Gruppo Campari has appointed a new board of directors for the 2016 to 2018 period.

The Cotswold Artisan Drinks Show 2016, the first Trade Show of its kind, will be showcasing artisan drinks produced in the Cotswolds on Monday 9th May between 10.30 and 4pm. 

The Isle of Arran Distillers has submitted its final application for a proposed second site on the island as it continues to grow in size and popularity.

Brown-Forman has announced that Eric Helms has become marketing director for its Global Travel Retail division.

The Board of Directors of American Craft Spirits Association has today announced that it has elected Paul Hletko as its new president. 

Vinexpo Hong Kong 2016 is set to attract 1,300 wine and spirit exhibitors from more than 35 countries worldwide to the city’s Convention and Exhibition Centre from 24 to 26 May.

The Consorzio di tutela del Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani has announced that Orlando Pecchenino is its new chairman.

Britvic has been awarded 2.5 stars in Business in the Community’s Corporate Responsibility Index. 

The fourth round of Equity for Punks, BrewDog’s latest crowd-funding scheme ended this week, resulting in £19 million being raised which broke a world record.

Altia, the leading Nordic and Baltic wine and spirits company, has appointed Kai Telanne to its board of directors.

Pernod’s results 3% up

21 April, 2016

Pernod Ricard has reported sales for the first nine months of its financial year totalled €6,813 million. 

Vinexpo’s supervisory board met in Paris on April 14 and approved the appointment of three new members.

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Ben Branson

Ben Branson on the future of non-alc spirits

In his inaugural column for Drinks International, Branson takes a wider look at the overall non-alcoholic spirits sector to identify which brands will thrive and which won’t survive.

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