Food & Drink

Figures released: Heineken announced its most recent trading update (image: Getty/LauriPatterson)

Heineken warns of further price hikes

By Nikkie Thatcher

Global brewer Heineken is considering increasing its prices as a result of inflationary pressures and “macro-economic uncertainty”.

The Blacksmiths Arms operator Maria Dillon along with the LoveInspire founder and chief executive Monica Holton

Heineken Brewing Good Cheer campaign celebrates togetherness

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Heineken’s Brewing Good Cheer campaign is subsidising get togethers for good causes, after research revealed 30% of people lacked confidence to go out, despite eight out of 10 people claiming socialising important to their wellbeing.

Improve your offer: if you a new pub operator who wants to add cask ale to your range, we can help

The Cask report

Call for new cask ale operators

By Ed Bedington

With cask beer being a unique product for UK pub operators, it’s important to ensure pubs are maximising the opportunity and getting it right and The Morning Advertiser (MA) is now seeking new operators to the trade to help them lay solid foundations...

Cider specialists: The Ciderologist Gabe Cook (above right) has lots of advice as do Thatchers, Kopparberg and Westons, among others

The Cider Report

FEATURE: Facts, stats and advice to push your cider offer

By Gary Lloyd

The Chinese new year began a couple of months ago, ushering in the Year of the Tiger, but operators of hospitality businesses will be hoping 2022 will be the ‘Year of the Pub’ as sites return to full use across the UK.

A good week for gin enthusiasts: Bombay Sapphire, Whitley Neill and Edinburgh Gin all release new variants in this weeks new products round up

NEW PRODUCTS ROUND UP

Bombay Sapphire and Whitley Neill announce new gins

By Rebecca Weller

A good week for gin enthusiasts as this weeks round up features four new flavours from Bombay Sapphire, Whitley Neill and Edinburgh Gin while Northern Monk expands into the soft drinks category and other new products from Thatchers Cider, Hardys, Salford...

Thank Brew: Trade bodies back limited edition beers sold for the Jubilee (Getty/ GeorgePeters)

Limited edition beers brewed for Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Limited edition beers will be sold by UK pubs and bars in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in the Thank Brew initiative, backed by trade bodies as a “fantastic opportunity” to celebrate the sector and bring people together.

Important part of a ‘proper’ pub: the appreciation of cask ale remains

The cask project

Licensees must realise the trouble cask is in

By Pete Brown

It’s 15 years now since I wrote the first edition of the Cask Report – an initiative organised by cask brewers and industry bodies to reinvigorate attitudes around cask ale. Now, The Cask Project is a new initiative with the same goals.

What is craft: consumers consider things like independence and locally brewed to be important (Credit: Getty/LauriPatterson)

What defines craft beer?

By Rebecca Weller

According to Statista 1.24bn hectolitres (hl) of craft beer were sold in the UK on-trade in 2019, but just 36% of the 829 surveyed by the website had a ‘good’ understanding of what craft beer means with many consumers looking to better understand the...

Thatcher's Blood Orange Cider: the cider makers latest variant is to be launched alongside Thatcher's biggest campaign to date

Thatchers announces new Blood Orange cider

By Rebecca Weller

Thatchers Cider yesterday (Monday 11 April) unveiled its latest offering, Thatchers Blood Orange Cider (4% ABV), with the new product launch set to be supported by the company’s biggest multi-media campaign to date.

A week of ups and downs: average drinks sales hovered just below pre-pandemic sales in the week to 2 April (Credit: Getty/Henrik Sorensen)

Drinks sales down 2% in the week to 2 April

By Rebecca Weller

Average drinks sales by value in Britain’s managed pubs, bars and restaurants were 2% down in the seven days to Saturday 2 April when compared with the same week in 2019, the latest CGA Drinks Recovery Tracker has shown.

Sites pipeline: BrewDog’s James Watt has revealed the business will open dozens more venues this year

BrewDog to open 27 sites this year

By Gary Lloyd

James Watt, co-founder of craft brewer and bar operator BrewDog, has revealed the business is set to open 27 new sites during 2022.

Company stance: 'our feeling was we needed to absorb as much as we possibly could for the longer term', Joules MD Steve Nuttall says (image: Getty/Jonathan Knowles)

Joules holds beer prices

By Nikkie Thatcher

Shropshire-based operator and brewer Joules has made the decision to hold the prices on all its craft beers, including its Lager Green Monkey.

Falling numbers: CGA statistical analysis shows where cask ale is failing

The Cask Project

The decline of cask ale in numbers

By Gary Lloyd

The short shelf life of cask beer is a major factor in why the category has suffered a continued decline throughout recent years, according to statistics from data insights expert CGA.

Bottling the magic of the sea: Hendrick's new gin is inspired by the coastal walks and sound of the waves in Scotland

NEW PRODUCTS ROUND-UP

Hendrick's and Greenall's launch new gins

By Rebecca Weller

The drinks sector has been gearing up for summer this week with a new coastal-themed gin from Hendrick's and a new fruity offering from Greenall's launched alongside new products from Sheperd Neame, Galipette, Chandon, San Pellegrino, Coastal...

Cleaning up: volunteers helping to clean beaches in the south-west of England can claim a free pint of beer

Free pint on offer for beach cleaners

By Gary Lloyd

Sharp’s Brewery and Stonegate Group are offering members of the public a free pint to encourage more people to join beach clean ups across the south-west of England.

One unit cocktail advice from Britvic

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How to make a ‘one unit’ cocktail

By Britvic

Last month, we asked our Sensational Drink users what they wanted to know about low and no options on drinks menus.

You bet: Jean-David Thumelaire has seen BBG’s ‘bets’ on the on-trade begin to pay off already

Big Interview

BBG vows to support the on-trade

By Gary Lloyd

Budweiser Brewing Group UK & Ireland’s Jean-David Thumelaire talks about the pandemic, the business’s Stella Please campaign and its latest innovations, among other things, with The Morning Advertiser associate features editor Gary Lloyd.

New products round up: Greene King, Beavertown, Young's, Peroni and Match Day Brewery announce new beers

NEW PRODUCTS ROUND-UP

Greene King, Beavertown & Peroni launch new beers

By Rebecca Weller

Large operator Greene King has launched 4 new products while Beavertown, Peroni, Kraken, Henry Westons, Bathtub Gin and Fever-Tree all expand their portfolios in this weeks new products round up.

Sacha Lord (pictured): cost of a pint could increase by as much as 20p in coming months

Sacha Lord forecasts up to 20p increase in cost of a pint

By Rebecca Weller


Night-Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester, Sacha Lord, has forecasted a 16 to 20p rise in the cost of an average pint over the next 3 months as inflation, increased VAT pressures, and surging gas prices hit hospitality operators.

Advice given: Molson Coors on-trade category controller Mark Bentley outlines the need for a good and varied drinks offer (image: Getty/GoodLifeStudio)

Opinion

Whatever changes, the perfect range will always be a balancing act

By Mark Bentley, on-trade controller at Molson Coors

Mark Bentley, on-trade category controller at Molson Coors, reflected on how the hospitality sector is bouncing back after the challenges of the pandemic, and what outlets can do to anticipate behavioural change from customers.

Punishing losses: Gin sales in the UK decreased from £2.7bn in 2019 to £1.9bn in 2020 (Credit: Getty/FluxFactory)

Gin sales see nearly £1bn decline

By Rebecca Weller

Gin sales in the UK dropped by almost £1bn in value, decreasing from £2.7bn in 2019 to £1.9bn in 2020 following various lockdowns and pub closures, according to figures from the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA).

Limited edition labelling for Kopparberg this summer

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Make limited-edition labelling Kopparberg a key brand at your pub

By Kopparberg

As we head into summer, consumers will start looking for easier drinking and more sessionable drinks to enjoy in hot beer gardens and with more drinkers than any other cider brand(1) and being the best-selling fruit cider in the UK(2), Kopparberg should...

Ideal choice: Birrificio Angelo Poretti is versatile and is the impeccable enhancement for any dining occasion

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Made for the table

By Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company

Nestled at the foot of the Italian Campo Dei Fiori mountains, the Birrificio Angelo Poretti brewery has been producing crisp, fresh beers for more than a century. Thanks to the innovative and meticulous art of blending hops, the beer has clarity, flavour...

Super Saturday: last weekends culmination of the Guinness Six Nations Rugby tournament sees 11.4m pints sold

'Super Saturday' sees 11.4m pints sold

By Rebecca Weller

Almost 11.5m pints of draught beer and cider were sold in pubs across the UK on Saturday 19 March as the nation cheered ‘Super Saturday’s’ culmination of the Guinness Six Nations championship, according to data from real time market intelligence business...

Great things can come in small packages: Guinness MicroDraught was launched in June last year

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Making the most of 2022 with Guinness

By Diageo

The number one stout in GB[1], Guinness is synonymous with quality. A strong reputation among consumers, Guinness is a trusted and reliable brand, and one that many customers will expect to see on the bar.

Information provided: the SIBA Craft Beer Report 2022 is being launched today (Thursday 17 March) at BeerX UK 2022 in Liverpool

Cask sales ‘under serious threat’

By Nikkie Thatcher

Traditional cask beer is “under serious threat” due to consumer drinking habits changing to ordering online and drinking more at home, according to a new report.

Cost of a pint sees biggest increase for a decade: average cost of a pint in the UK has increased by 23p in the past two years (Credit: Getty/ miodrag ignjatovic)

Cost of a pint sees biggest increase for 10 years

By Rebecca Weller

The average cost of a pint in the UK has increased by 23p in the past two years, the third biggest increase since records began in 1987, data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has revealed.

How pubs can improve their wine offer

Opinion

How to improve your wine offer

By Heath Ball, MD of Frisco Group

Pubs and wine are not always a match made in heaven, as The MA recently explored in the last episode of the Lock In podcast.

Something for your pub? Gins, a rum and beer launches make up this week’s round-up

New products round-up

BrewDog and Whitley Neill roll out new gins

By Gary Lloyd

Spirits from BrewDog, Whitley Neill and One-Eyed Rebel and beers from Lakedown, Bellfield and Vocation make up the latest new product launches this week.

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