Pernod Ricard’s CEO Piere Pringuet has spoken out about Havana Club’s flat half-year sales growth, branding its performance “disappointing”.

Diageo has delivered 3% volume growth and 7% organic net sales increase for the six months ended December 31, 2011.

Global business consultancy McKinney Rogers has appointed a former Bacardi USA president to its board.

Beam Inc, the US-based global spirits company, has reported full-year net sales increases of 8%.

Central European Distribution Corporation (CEDC) has signed a five-year exclusive agreement to distribute Beam brands in Poland.

Altia Plc is buying the Xanté Company and the Xanté spirits brand from the Swedish Tilander family.

Central European Distribution Corporation (CEDC) has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with La Martiniquaise to distribute Label 5 whisky in Russia. La Martiniquaise announced the tie-up in December 2011.

Rémy Martin is to introduce a new expression of its VSOP cognac for the European market. VSOP Mature Cask Finish is to replace VSOP in Europe, while the rest of the world will continue to receive the original VSOP cognac.

Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard has confirmed it will spend €100m on the 2012 expansion of its Midleton Single Distillery, the site where Jameson is produced.

Central European spirits and liqueurs company Stock Spirits Group is gearing up to acquire new business.

The board of Alcohol Concern, the anti-alcohol lobby group in the UK, has announced a restructuring of its senior management following the loss of core funding with the role of the CEO becoming part time for a year alongside the recruitment of a full time director of fundraising and campaigning.

English wines have come of age – Georg Riedel has chosen suitable stemware for their wines.

Sobieski vodka owner Belvedere has appointed Krzysztof Trylinski as chairman and chief executive officer of the group. He aims to clear the company's debt by selling two of its brands.

Russian Standard vodka owner Roust and Rémy Cointreau have announced the expansion of their partnership in Russia which will include the distribution of additional Rémy Cointreau brands.

Pernod Ricard has announced a number of staff changes.

Owsley Brown II, former chairman and CEO of Brown-Forman has died after a brief illness. He was 69 years old.

Angostura Holdings has announced the departure of managing director and CEO Wayne Yip Choy, effective September 21, 2011.

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

A five-litre demijohn of 1985 Cognac Frapin has sold for €15,000 at a charity auction.

The Tax Free World Association’s World Exhibition in the famous French resort of Cannes opened today (Monday September 5). Christian Davis reports from Cannes. 

US-based synthetic closure brand, Nomacorc, has announced it registered 10% year-on-year growth during Q1 and Q2 of 2011.

Absolut Vodka, part of the Pernod Ricard group, has revealed that its annual sales value and volume grew by 6% during the period July 1 2010 to June 30 2011. 

The Glenmorangie Company has promoted chief operating officer Paul Skipworth to the post of president and managing director.

StarBev has announced ‘significant investments’ in its Staropramen brand, as it eyes international expansion.

Japanese brewer Kirin has bought the outstanding shares in Aleadri-Schinni Participações e Representações S.A. (“Aleadri”), a company that holds 50.45% of the outstanding shares of Schincariol Participações e Representações SA (Brazil; CEO: Adriano Schincariol: “Schincariol”).