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.

Campo Viejo to launch Winemaker’s Blend in the UK

Campo Viejo has announced the launch of Winemaker’s Blend, a new blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Bobal.

Covid-19 and Brexit hit UK gin exports

UK gin exports decreased by £100 million in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to new figures from HM Revenue & Customs.

Tequila regulatory body stresses the importance of respecting Geographical Indications of origin

Picture this scenario: a world-famous alcoholic drinks brand launches what it calls a “Tequila-flavoured” product, with the aim of persuading consumers that they are enjoying a drink with the purest expression of the country of Mexico.

UK pubs will miss out on selling 14 million pints this St Patrick’s Day

Pubs across the UK will miss out on 14 million sales of pints this St Patrick’s Day due to lockdown closures, the British Beer & Pub Association has reported.

Heineken's Pure Piraña hard seltzer expands into Europe

Pure Piraña, Heineken’s hard seltzer brand, has announced an expansion into Europe following its exports into Mexico and New Zealand last year.

Ferrari Trento plans global expansion after Formula One deal

Drinks International caught up with Ferrari Trento chief executive Matteo Lunelli to learn more about the brand’s new Formula One sponsorship deal.

Celebrate Her to 'raise glasses' for International Women's Day celebrations

Celebrate Her, an initiative to support gender parity, diversity and inclusion in the UK hospitality industry, will virtually champion the #ChoosetoChallenge campaign for International Women’s Day.

Beefeater to launch new TV ad campaign

Pernod Ricard has announced a new multi-million-pound marketing campaign for Beefeater starting on 19 April targeting 25-34-year-olds.

Havana Club unveils Cuban Spiced variant

Havana Club has launched a Cuban Spiced variant in a bid to bring more millennial and Generation Z consumers into the rum category.

Scotch whisky producers celebrate suspension of US single malt tariff

Scotch whisky producers are celebrating after the US government announced it would suspend tariffs on various UK goods for four months.

Kingsland Drinks champions alternative grape varieties

UK importer Kingsland Drinks is championing alternative grape varieties that have the potential to drive excitement and experimentation among consumers.

UK government announces duty freeze on spirits, wine and beer

The UK government has announced a second consecutive duty freeze on spirits, wine, beer and cider.

I Heart Wines sales exceeded 31m bottles in 2020

More than 31 million bottles of the I Heart wine brand were sold in 2020 after it enjoyed significant growth in several international markets.

BBC Spirits imports several leading British brands

French distributor BBC Spirits has bolstered its portfolio with several UK spirits brands as it bids to drive growth in 2021.

GreatDrams awarded for successful adaptation during Covid-19

GreatDrams has been named a winner at the Lloyds Bank Small Business of 2020 awards through the success of its virtual tastings.

Daddy Rack whiskey gets UK distribution deal

Daddy Rack, an original Tennessee straight small batch whiskey, has launched in Scotland with plans for a wider UK roll out in March.

Tuscan Tree offers alcohol-free aperitivo moments

A new non-alcoholic drink that taps into growing consumer trend for enjoying “aperitivo hour” has launched in the UK and international markets.

Halewood to offload Eisberg wines to Schloss Wachenheim

Alcohol free wine brand Eisberg is set to be acquired by Schloss Wachenheim AG (SWA) from Halewood Artisanal Spirits.

White Claw Mango enters UK market through Tesco

Hard seltzer brand White Claw has launched its Mango variety in the UK through supermarket chain Tesco.

Moët Hennessy rolls out Eminente rum brand

Moët Hennessy has launched Cuban rum brand Eminente in the UK, France, Germany and the Czech Republic.

UK port sales soar in 2020

Port sales in the UK saw impressive category growth throughout 2020, with the largest volume of off-trade sales since 2015.

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.

Class Bar Magazine launches new website

Class Bar Magazine has launched a new website which will provide the latest news and insights into the UK bar industry.

Pernod Ricard sales suffer -3.9% drop through travel retail absence

Pernod Ricard sales for H1 FY21 have shown an organic decline of -3.9% on the previous year largely due to the ongoing struggles of travel retail.

Regal Rogue launches training series for furloughed UK bartenders

Australian vermouth brand Regal Rogue has launched a new bartender training initiative in collaboration with The Liana Collection, the brand’s newly appointed UK distributor in 2021.

Natural and organic online wine shop launches in the UK

Natural and organic ecommerce wine shop, Lucy’s Wine, has launched in the UK.

Avallen gains global distribution deal

Avallen has announced a global partnership with UK-based Charter Brands to drive new routes to market beyond Europe, Hong Kong & Australia.

UK distillery numbers hit record high in 2020

New HMRC figures show that a record number of distilleries were registered in the UK in 2020, growing by more than 100 in 12 months to surpass 560.

Diddy, David Beckham and Ryan Reynolds donate $1 million to mixologists

Diddy, David Beckham and Ryan Reynolds have donated $1 million to several organisations that support the bartending community.

Martin Miller's Gin launches "From Madness To Genius" campaign

Martin Miller’s Gin has unveiled a new ad campaign that tells the story of the brand’s “transformation from a mad idea to a genius gin”.

UK hard seltzer market could reach £75m by 2023 says new report

The UK hard seltzer market is expected to reach a value of £75m by 2023 according to a report commissioned by DRTY.

Freixenet Copestick celebrates strong Christmas trading

Freixenet Copestick cemented its status as the UK’s leading supplier of sparkling wine by increasing sales 21% over the Christmas trading period.

JW Filshill acquires Eldorado Tonic Wine

JW Filshill, the Glasgow-based wholesaler, has acquired Eldorado Tonic Wine as part of its purchase of KB Agencies for an undisclosed sum.

Tito's appoints new distributors in Cyprus and Switzerland

Tito’s Handmade Vodka has appointed new distributors for two of its European markets in Switzerland and Cyprus.

Foncalieu trains focus on rosé, ecommerce and innovation

Premium rosé, ecommerce and innovation in packaging will form the bedrock of Foncalieu’s strategy as it bids to enjoy a strong commercial performance in 2021.

UK hospitality lost almost £200m a day in 2020 reveals new figures

The latest edition of the UKHospitality and CGA Quarterly Tracker has revealed a 54% drop in sales for 2020 from £133.5bn in 2019 to £61.7bn.

Record year for tequila as production and exports reach all-time high

The tequila industry enjoyed record levels of production and exports in 2020, according to the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT).

Remy Cointreau Sales Surged in Q3

Remy Cointreau has reported 25.1% sales growth for the final three months of 2020.

Limited-edition Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Rye released in the UK

Michter’s has released its US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Rye 2020 in the UK.

Tariff war will cause drinks businesses to go bust, trade bodies warn

Drinks producers will be forced to close their doors and lay off staff after the U.S. ramped up its tariff war with the EU, trade associations have warned.

World of Zing sold more than 650,000 cocktails in 2020

Premixed cocktail specialist World of Zing managed to sell more than 650,000 drinks in 2020 after successfully pivoting towards the at-home market.

Three-quarters of UK drinkers prefer to drink at home, survey suggests

Three-quarters of Brits say they prefer to drink at home, the Big Gin Report, an annual study conducted by Craft Gin Club, has found.

Alcoholic drink sales soared at UK supermarkets over Christmas

The alcoholic drinks category led the charge as UK supermarkets enjoyed their strongest ever Christmas trading period, according to Nielsen till scan data.

Ceder’s to launch digital campaign to promote responsible drinking

Non-alcoholic spirit brand Ceder's has announced a digital programme designed to promote health and wellness.

2020: Online sales' record year

Ecommerce has broken into markets that barely knew it existed pre-pandemic - and forcasts for the alcohholic drinks sector are very positive. Martin Green reports.

Diageo rolls out advanced health warnings on key brands

Diageo is rolling out voluntary enhanced health warnings on bottles of Smirnoff, Gordon’s, Baileys and Captain Morgan as part of its broader responsible drinking campaign.

Kingfisher brewer adapts to new trading conditions

Kingfisher has launched a 6x33cl can format in time for the festive trading period as it bids to ramp up off-trade sales.

US spirits industry applauds UK for suspending retaliatory tariffs

The US spirits industry has applauded the UK’s decision to suspend retaliatory tariffs on American rum, brandy and vodka once it leaves the EU on January 1.

Churchill's launches digital port club

Boutique producer Churchill’s has launched a direct-to-consumer port club targeting the UK market.