Trends in wine: out-innovated by beer, under-indexing with Hispanics
Is wine losing its buzz? Lately the category has been out-innovated by brewers, who have flooded the market with new beer flavors, brands and line extensions, fueling a resurgence that's coming at the expense of wine. Wine volume sales grew 1.5% in 2012, slowing from...
Buyout firms Oaktree and Pamplona fail to reach an agreement over a deal for Stock Spirits Group
Talks about a sale of the biggest spirits producer in eastern Europe have collapsed after a disagreement over price between the seller and a fund backed by one of Russia's richest oligarchs. I understand that discussions that would have seen Pamplona Capital, a...
MIT scientists are developing a new class of drugs that act as an alcohol antidote
Party animals could soon be able to sober up in an instant just by popping a pill. Researchers have developed a cocktail of alcohol metabolizing enzymes that speedily reduces blood alcohol levels in drunk mice. The treatment, which has been compared to having...
Champagne shipments fell by 4.4% in 2012
Champagne sold 14m less bottles in 2012, a 4.4% decline after a slump in pre-Christmas trade. The final figure of 308.8m bottles was lower than anticipated – industry insiders had forecast a 3% fall to 314-315m bottles – following poor demand in November and December,...
Prioritizing brand and consumer feedback over production needs – example of Maker’s Mark: announced the reversal of the controversial decision to water down the product
After backlash from customers, the producer of Maker's Mark bourbon is reversing a decision to cut the amount of alcohol in bottles of its famous whiskey. Rob Samuels, Maker's Mark's chief operating officer, said Sunday that it is restoring the alcohol volume of its...
New ABC chairman in North Carolina opposes privatization of the ABC system
Still less than two weeks into his job as the new chairman of the N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, Rocky Mount native Jim Gardner said he would have some concerns about privatization of the ABC system. While visiting the Nash County ABC offices and...
New ABC chairman in North Carolina opposes privatization of the ABC system
Still less than two weeks into his job as the new chairman of the N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, Rocky Mount native Jim Gardner said he would have some concerns about privatization of the ABC system. While visiting the Nash County ABC offices and...
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board reports sales increase of nearly 5% for first six months of the year
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board today announced its unaudited operating results for the first half of fiscal year 2012-13. PLCB wine and spirits sales totaled $918.2 million, a 4.9 percent increase for the six-month period ending Dec. 31, 2012. Both retail and...
AB InBev will sell Corona unit to salvage Modelo takeover
Anheuser-Busch InBev NV, the world’s biggest brewer, offered to cede full control of Corona distribution in the U.S. to Constellation Brands Inc. (STZ) for $2.9 billion in a bid to salvage its purchase of Grupo Modelo after U.S. regulators sued to block the deal....