Beam Suntory France begins trading

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

RTD forecast growth slows

IWSR Drinks Market Analysis has released its RTDs Strategic Study 2023, which revealed the RTD category is expected to grow by 12% in volume between 2022 and 2027, achieving $40bn by 2027 across 10 key markets.

International Beverage acquires Cardrona Distillery

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

Stock Spirits acquires Clan Campbell and the Dugas Group

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

THREE SIXTY VODKA AT THE TOP

Three Sixty Vodka is market leader in the premium vodka segment in Germany.

Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes awarded knighthood

Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes has received a knighthood in King Charles' first New Year’s Honours list, an appointment that allows him to use the title ‘sir’.

Founder George Frost on the rise and rise of Duppy Share Rum

Duppy Share Rum has announced it has secured £2m in investment as the UK-based brand turns its sights to the US. Drinks International caught up with founder George Frost.

Toku Saké launches Junmai Daiginjo in UK on-trade

Toku Saké, a new super premium saké, has announced the release of Junmai Daiginjo, its debut liquid. 

Beefeater relaunches ultra-premium Crown Jewel gin

London dry gin producer Beefeater has announced the launch of Crown Jewel, the ultra-premium pinnacle of the brand’s gin portfolio that first appeared as a limited-edition release nearly two decades ago.

Tonic water adapts and thrives

Players big and small are benefiting from a rise in demand for premium products in this mixer category.

Brown-Forman confirms purchase of Gin Mare

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

Japanese Whisky: Pushing Premium

Japanese whisky continues to go from strength to strength as shochu producers turn to the category to make their mark in international markets.

Brockmans Gin sales hit one million bottles in 12 months

Super-premium gin Brockmans has announced that one million bottles were sold within a 12-month period, a milestone for the brand.

Premium sales drive growth for Viña Concha y Toro in 2021

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.

Diageo India invests in premium gin producer Nao Spirits

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.

Fever-Tree launches in South Korea for the first time

The world’s leading premium mixer brand, Fever-Tree, has become available in South Korea for the first time.

Brands Report 2022: Mixers

Listening to the demands of bartenders, premium mixer brands have become increasingly experimental with their flavour combinations. To reflect this greater variety, the tonic water table of previous reports has been broadened to encompass all mixer brands.

Edrington reports year-on-year profit decline

Edrington has reported that pre-tax profit decreased 21% year-on-year to £178.4 million for the year ending 31 March 2021.

Tequila's calling for celebrity mixto

Stars continue to flock to give their endorsement to 100% agave brands, but sustainability has become an issue as consumer demand has risen.

Tonic water's refreshed approach in 2020

Like other categories, mixers have had to look at the way they operate. Oli Dodd reports on recent trends and what’s in store ahead.

Becky Davies: “Tequila is the real deal and that’s why it’s so exciting"

Drinks International caught up with Becky Davies, head of commercial at Ten Locks, to learn more about the firm's plans to kickstart a defining era for tequila in the UK.

Mixto tequila brand El Sueño launches to promote sustainable practices

The founders of super-premium tequila brand VIVIR have launched a new mixto tequila brand called El Sueño to bridge a gap in the market and support sustainable practices.

Canvas launches as premium cocktail delivery service

A new premium cocktail delivery service called Canvas has launched across the UK this February in partnership with a series of top end bartenders.

Accolade Wines purchases Katnook Estate

Accolade Wines has acquired the historic Katnook Estate in Coonawarra from Wingara Wine Group.

Marussia Beverages completes Itkulsky Distillery purchase

Dutch group Marussia Beverages has purchased a controlling stake in Siberian vodka producer Itkulsky Distillery.

Prosecco: The sweet spot

Prosecco producers are looking for ways to beat the ravages of climate change in the vineyards. Shay Waterworth reports from Italy

Chivas Regal – the magnum force

Chivas Brothers has unveiled a 1.5 litre magnum of its flagshiop blended scotch whisky, Chivas Regal, aimed specifically at elite bars.

Gin

Gin is trading on the complexities of its flavour profile to cash in on the cocktail boom. Patience Gould finds a booming super-premium sector

First Drinks: Premium brands to drive UK growth

First Drinks has outlined the continued importance of premium drinks brands in driving growth in the UK market.

Bacardi poaches Diageo high flyer

Bacardi has announced the appointment of Ron Anderson as senior vice president and chief commercial officer.

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.

Pernod Ricard UK announces initiative to drive premium wine sales

Pernod Ricard UK has unveiled an initiative titled ‘Building Premium Wine Brands’, to bring growth back to the UK light wine sector.

Beefeater 24 is now in 50 markets

Pernod Ricard’s super premium gin, Beefeater 24, is now available in 50 markets worldwide.

Plymouth is re-positioned as a super premium-plus gin

Chivas Brothers is introducing a new look for its Plymouth gin brand, re-positioning it above Beefeater 24, as a “super premium-plus”.

Pernod rolls out Redbreast 12 Cask Strength to US

Pernod Ricard will release Irish whiskey Redbreast 12 Cask Strength to the US in February, following the expression’s September launch to Ireland, Germany and France.

Findlater to distribute Stolichnaya in Ireland

The SPI Group has announced a new distribution agreement with Findlater Wine and Spirit Group to distribute the Stolichnaya vodka portfolio in Ireland.

Rok Stars thrash out Oval's UK debut

US consumer goods company Rok Stars has stuck a deal with Castle Trade Services to launch its recently acquired Oval vodka in the UK.

Drambuie toasts travel retail success

Drambuie’s premium expression Drambuie 15 is to be offered onboard all British Airways routes from December. 

Russian Standard appoints Palatella in the US

Russian Standard Vodka, which claims to be Russia’s number one premium vodka, has announced the appointment of John Palatella as executive vice president of sales & distribution for the US.

New look Martell VSOP

Martell’s new look for its VSOP, which was recently launched in the Singapore and Malaysia domestic markets, is now being rolled out throughout the world.

Italy: Stoli changes distributor

SPI Group has agreed a new distribution deal with Velier, for the entire Stolichnaya portfolio in Italy.

Pernod looks to Americas to overtake Diageo

Pernod Ricard is pinning hopes of further growth on the US, central and South America to undermine Diageo’s position as the number one drinks company in the world.

Follador enters travel retail

Sparkling wine brand Follador has launched its premium range of Proseccos to travel retail.

Japanese whiskies launch in India

Indian distributor Radico Khaitan is to launch Japanese whiskies the Yamazaki 12 year old and Hibiki 17 year old in India.

DQ makes UK comeback

Swedish vodka brand DQ has re-launched to the UK, following the restructuring of parent company Nordic Spirit.

Johnnie Walker tops value list

Diageo’s Johnnie Walker is the number one spirits brand by value according to Impact Databank’s Top 100 Premium Spirits list.

Russia: Diageo to launch Smirnov Titul

Diageo has announced the launch of super premium vodka Smirnov Titul to the Russian market.

AB InBev launches Stella cider

UK: AB InBev has launched a cider under the Stella Artois name. Stella Artois Cidre will be available from easter 2011 in 568ml bottles and 440ml cans and the company suggests serving the product over ice.

Slovakian vodka Goral Master launches

Slovakian spirits group Gas Familia has launched premium vodka Goral Master.