Alcohol advertising: The hard sell
13-Aug-2009
Alcohol advertisers are out of control. Their irresponsible behaviour, particularly their attempts to lure children into the boozing habit, are...
06-Aug-2009 By Robyn Lewis
The crackdown on counterfeit spirits has been stepped up by the International Federation of Spirits Producers (IFSP) amid fears the recession will...
30-Jul-2009 By Ewan Turney
Maxxium UK's Sauza tequila brand has teamed up with fruit purée provider Funkin to raise the profile of tequila as a mixable spirit. Selected...
Thousands protest at Diageo cuts
27-Jul-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
Thousands marched in Scotland yesterday in protest at Diageo's decision to axe 900 jobs north of the border. Earlier this month the drinks giant...
27-Jul-2009 By Gemma McKenna
Whisky brand Whyte & Mackay has created customised blends for Scottish celebrities which reflect their personalities. The chosen few include...
27-Jul-2009 By Ewan Turney
Over 20,000 people joined a protest march against the planned closure of Diageo's Johnnie Walker bottling plant in Kilmarnock yesterday. The march...
'Supermarkets blamed as children drink 15 shots of vodka a week''
24-Jul-2009
Children as young as 11 are drinking the equivalent of 15 shots of vodka a week. An NHS survey of children between 11 and 15 last year found that one...
Comment: Pub pours chances of repeat custom away with its ullage
23-Jul-2009
The Publican's Beer Matters initiative continues to celebrate the best drinks service. It's also important to draw attention to the worst. This is a...
Taking the front foot against alcohol advertising regulators
17-Jul-2009
Pernod Ricard (PRUK) has launched the latest in a long line of responsible drinking ad campaigns by the giants of the drinks trade. It comes as...
Comment: Look, we are responsible!
14-Jul-2009
It's been a bad few weeks for alcohol advertisers, and it's got me thinking about the appropriate way for the drinks industry to respond to...
Union calls on Scottish MPs to join fight to save 900 Diageo jobs
14-Jul-2009 By Hamish Champ
Unite, the UK's largest union, has called on Scottish MPs to back its fight to save more than 900 jobs at Diageo plants threatened with closure as...
09-Jul-2009 By Robyn Lewis
The gin category received a boost this week as Diageo unveiled its strategy to lead a "renaissance" in the sector. The company is re-launching its...
Helping on-trade create nights to remember
08-Jul-2009
This Friday (July 10), the Pet Shop Boys will perform at London nightclub Matter and revellers will be able to choose from more than 500 different...
06-Jul-2009 By Ewan Turney
Drinks giant Diageo is under pressure from trade unions and political leaders in Scotland over its decision to axe 900 jobs. Diageo announced last...
American whiskey invasion
01-Jul-2009
The main reason for the growing popularity of bourbon in the UK is greater accessibility - there are American whiskeys available here now that simply...
01-Jul-2009 By Ewan Turney
Diageo is to axe 500 jobs in Scotland by closing its sites in Kilmarnock and Port Dundas in Glasgow over the next two years. The closure of the two...
24-Jun-2009 By Ewan Turney
Maxxium UK has launched a new super premium range of tequilas from Sauza. Tres Generaciones is a range of three triple distilled, 100% agave...
22-Jun-2009 By Ewan Turney
Diageo is to back the national rollout of its Smirnoff vodka flavours with a £3.65m marketing campaign. The flavours, Lime and Green Apple, have...
19-Jun-2009 By Sonya Hook
Diageo GB plans to double the investment in its Morgan's Spiced brand this year in order to grow awareness outside of its Scottish heartland. The...
18-Jun-2009 By Robyn Lewis
Hi Spirits has created a new premium arm for its high-end brands, which from 1 July will include bourbon brand Buffalo Trace. The new business,...
Coca-Cola and Pepsi roll out summer soft drinks support
17-Jun-2009
This summer, licensees can get support in making mixed drinks from the two biggest players in the soft drinks market.Coca Cola Enterprises (CCE) and...
Luxardo launches new flavoured sambucas
15-Jun-2009
New flavoured sambucas have been launched under the Luxardo product range.Distributor Cellar Trends has developed cream, pomegranate, spiced apple...
Instant cocktail: Putting the products to the test
11-Jun-2009
The Clifton in St John's Wood, London, has been selling cocktails made with Funkin mixers for around two years. Licensee Richard Kavanagh has found...
Instant cocktails: Case studies
11-Jun-2009
The Duke of York, Marylebone, LondonBar manager: Tom FarleyServing: Mojito, Piña ColadaNumber of cocktails sold: 80 Mojitos, 64 Piña Coladas in...
Instant cocktails
11-Jun-2009
From deepest Yorkshire comes the story of Pete the Postman. Having celebrated the end of each shift with the same pint of bitter in his local for...
Tesco boss defends alcohol promotions
03-Jun-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
Ask licensees up and down the country what the biggest issues affecting them are, and you will be hit with a tirade. The beer tie, tax, the smoking...
Pubs urged to serve Mojitos with new mixer
26-May-2009
Bacardi and cocktail mixer company Funkin have partnered to launch a co-branded Mojito mixer product and persuade pubs of the profitability and ease...
Coke in fresh challenge to Red Bull
26-May-2009
Coca Cola Enterprises (CCE) has entered into new competition with Red Bull for dominance of the energy drinks market after taking over responsibility...
Comment: Little to lose and lots to gain through supplier initiatives
20-May-2009
The journalist stereotype of the cynical old hack doesn't apply to me.I'm generally upbeat about drinks companies' efforts to drive footfall through...
Jack Daniels to provide training
20-May-2009
Jack Daniels is to start offering barstaff training.The 'Friends of Jack' training is part of a range of initiatives announced by parent company...
Spirits training: Pub case study
18-May-2009
"We serve a small but quality range and try to focus on an offer that can be made well by an experienced bartender to a new recruit," says Ria...
Spirits training: Cask Marque turns it hand to spirits training
18-May-2009
The obvious product you would associate with trade body Cask Marque is beer, so it's a surprise to find it set to launch a comprehensive staff...
Spirits training: Become a 'Rum Master'
18-May-2009
One strand of the True Rum campaign launched last year to promote rum from the Caribbean is a barstaff training programme in use of the spirit....
Spirits training: Why staff need knowledge on spirits serve
18-May-2009
Cocktail culture having now had time to bed in, the popularity of long mixed drinks has reached corners of the on-trade one may never have thought...
Inside a giant gin and tonic
14-May-2009 By Claire Dodd Claire
Through a fog of gin and tonic, I can make out a giant straw, a giant wedge of lime, the faces of a few strangers and the faint strains of Dead or...
14-May-2009 By Sonya Hook
Pimm's faces competition this summer as rival pitcher options look to capture a portion of the sharing market. Yorkshire drinks producer and importer...
Beer celebrates 100 years of naval aviation
12-May-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
Naval veterans were on hand to help launch a new beer to mark 100 years of naval aviation. Wadworth's Swordfish - named after the aircraft - has been...
Tennis ace Rusedski to help Ember Inns' campaign
12-May-2009
Ember Inns has launched its annual Drink Pink campaign in a bid to raise £50,000 for charity Against Breast Cancer.The four week campaign will be...
12-May-2009 By Ewan Turney
Ember Inns customers are being asked to swap their regular drink for a pink tipple to help raise money for charity Against Breast Cancer. The...
Diageo on track to deliver profit forecasts
07-May-2009
Global drinks giant Diageo, which brews Guinness and produces Smirnoff vodka, said that despite the worldwide economic downturn it expects operating...
07-May-2009 By Ewan Turney
Drinks giant Diageo has reported flat sales for the nine months to 31 March on last year. The Guinness brewer and spirits and wine producer said net...
Summer special: How to sell drinks this summer
05-May-2009
One idea that works well in the summer would be to run a drinks festival. With the category booming, what better time to celebrate all things...
Molson Coors trials beer cocktails
05-May-2009
Carling brewer Molson Coors is planning to drive sales of its speciality beers in pubs through two new initiatives.The brewer is partnering with pubs...
Pernod Ricard: the verdict
01-May-2009
What general areas have you been advising the pubs on?"Optics; summer trading; getting Christmas right; and spirit perfect serves."What key changes...
Lager drinkers urged to get in the spirit of Mild Month
01-May-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is urging all lager drinkers to try something a little different to mark National Mild Month, which starts today....
Vodka sales continue to grow
01-May-2009
Vodka sales have increased by nearly 25 per cent over the last five years according to new research. Figures from Mintel show 79 million litres of...
23-Apr-2009 By Sonya Hook
Grant's whisky plans to shun traditional PoS material this year in favour of items that best support the brand's key themes of gardening and...
'LVMH eyes sale of Moët to Diageo'
22-Apr-2009
Luxury goods company LVMH has indicated it may be willing to sell some or all of its two-thirds stake in Moët Hennessy, its wine and spirits...
21-Apr-2009 By William Rowland
Licensees have been warned that Trading Standards Officers are carrying out even more more tests on the validity of spirits.
17-Apr-2009 By Robyn Lewis
Wine spritzers are set for a revival this summer, with a planned on-trade initiative under the Blossom Hill brand. Brand owner Diageo has designed a...
