Absolut Vodka and Tomorrowland festival launch limited-edition bottle

To mark their continued collaboration, leading premium vodka brand Absolut and Tomorrowland music festival have teamed up to launch a limited-edition bottle ahead of this year’s event in Boom, Belgium. read more

Extending returnable glass bottle life is crucial for brewers amid rising energy costs and glass shortages

Brewers throughout Europe face huge price increases and significant glass bottle shortages, with logistic and supply chain issues that took hold in the pandemic having been exacerbated by soaring energy bills. As a result, the cost of new glass bottles to the industry has risen 80 per cent over the past year. read more

End of retaliatory tariffs welcomed by US Distilled Spirits Council and Scotch Whisky Association

The Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS) and the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) have joined together to toast to the end of retaliatory tariffs on American Whiskey and Scotch Whisky in trade disputes “wholly unrelated to the distilling sector”. read more

Ellie Goulding’s hard seltzer brand SERVED launches UK-wide in Everyman venues

Premium British hard seltzer brand SERVED, co-owned by singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding, has just launched nationwide into Everyman cinemas, as the first hard seltzer brand to be stocked at all 37 entertainment venues across the UK. read more

HostMilano unveils report on global coffee trends and consumption

HostMilano’s recent analysis offers the global picture on coffee trends and consumption patterns. From Europe to Gen Z, the future of the most desired drink knows no borders, with the sector’s value expected to top €43 billion in 2025. read more

Plenish appoints Cordon Bleu chef Ravneet Gill as brand ambassador

Ravneet Gill – Le Cordon Bleu chef, author and presenter – has become the new face of Plenish, a leading producer of award-winning and organic plant-based milks, juices and shots. read more

RON SANTIAGO DE CUBA names Antonio Naranjo at Global Brand Ambassador

Cuban rum brand RON SANTIAGO DE CUBA has announced the appointment of award-winning bartender and innovator, Antonio Naranjo, as its new Global Brand Ambassador. read more

BLACKLION rare sheep’s milk vodka strikes gold at World Vodka Awards

Cotswolds-produced BLACKLION – Europe’s first sheep’s milk vodka – has been earning top reviews, including a Launch Design Bronze and Presentation Gold at this year’s World Vodka Awards, plus the competition’s top overall Gold for Best Presentation in 2022. read more

The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. wins 3 accolades at UK’s Best Business Awards

The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. has just been announced as winner of the ‘Best Innovation’ and ‘Disruptor of the Year’ categories at the 2022 Best Business Awards. Jay Bradley, Founder & CEO, has been named winner in the ‘Outstanding Entrepreneur’ category. read more

Premium plant-based drinks player Plenish unveils brand refresh and new packaging

Plenish, one of the UK's fastest growing plant-based drinks brands, has unveiled a full brand refresh and launch of new premium packaging across its range of plant-based milks, juices, and shots, as a key part of its strategy to further accelerate growth in the segment. read more

Courvoisier unveils new look, new Chief Blender, and new brand ambassador

Maison Courvoisier has unveiled its new look, alongside appointing its seventh Chief Blender. The most awarded Cognac house has also revealed creative visionary Yinka Ilori as the firm’s global ‘Ambassador of Joy’ as part of a new campaign featuring global creative. read more

Buzzed launches world’s first naturally uplifting energy tonic water

New UK drinks brand Buzzed has unveiled the world’s first energy tonic water. Tapping into the elevated consumer interest in health and wellness, Buzzed provides a refreshing new take on the traditional tonic. read more

Italian coffee brand Musetti enters GCC market with Dubai debut at 25hours Hotel One Central

Caffé Musetti – a traditional Italian coffee brand with a history spanning nearly nine decades – has entered the GCC market with a prestigious hotel debut in Dubai, expanding its reach to over 60 countries on five continents. read more

waterdrop raises €60m in Series-B funding led by Temasek

Austrian hydration company waterdrop® has announced its Series-B funding of €60 million (US$70m). The investment round was led by Singapore-headquartered global investment firm Temasek, with participation from existing shareholders Bitburger Ventures and Founders Future. read more

Monster enters alcoholic beverage sector with it enters deal to buy CANarchy Craft Brewery Collective

California-headquartered, NASDAQ-listed energy drinks brand Monster Beverage Corp. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire CANarchy Craft Brewery Collective LLC, a craft beer and hard seltzer company, for US$330 million in cash. read more

Non-alcoholic DaiquirISH sets the bar as it wins top prize – up against alcohol

The Pre-Mixed & RTD Masters 2021 winners were announced this month in London by The Spirits Business. One headliner was ISH from Denmark who took the top award for its non-alcoholic DaiquirISH, as it competed against conventional alcoholic brands. read more

Campari Group UK to distribute Champagne Lallier, including new iteration flagship cuvée, R.018

Following Campari Group’s acquisition of Champagne Lallier in 2020, Campari Group UK is to take on distribution of the well respected Champagne brand within the London M25 area in a phased approach, in combination with current distributor Boutinot wines. read more

Glenfiddich to be first partner to release rare whisky via NFT with BlockBar

Glenfiddich, the world’s most awarded Single Malt Scotch Whisky brand, has partnered with BlockBar, the premier non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace for luxury wine and spirits products, to launch a series of 15 limited-edition liquor NFTs. read more

GlobalData’s top 5 trends to watch in the spirits and wine sector this year and next

Supply chain disruptions, crop damage resulting from climate change, and a shift in consumer attitudes towards drinking will shape new trends and consumption habits in the spirits and wine over the coming years, according to GlobalData. read more

Kerry unveils ‘Art of Taste & Nutrition’ summer beverage market trends

Kerry Taste & Nutrition’s latest ‘Art of Taste & Nutrition’ report provides a complete view of 2021 trends in the summer beverage market across foodservice in Europe & Russia. read more

New podcast journeys around the world in a tea cup

To celebrate International Tea Day (Friday 21st May), the UK Tea & Infusions Association’s new podcast series takes us on a trip around the world of teas – from China to Malawi, and Russia to Sri Lanka. read more

Freestar’s 0.0% ABV beer is a winner for both planet and consumer

Award-winning beer brand Freestar has succeeded in its mission to provide the first truly alcohol-free, great tasting, sustainable beer. read more

Sipful Drinks partners with Every Can Counts recycling programme

Premium canned wine and cocktails brand Sipful Drinks is partnering with leading recycling communications programme Every Can Counts to inspire and encourage more people to recycle their empty drink cans.  The partnership will see Sipful Drinks become the first UK brand to carry the Every Can Counts logo on its range of canned products. read more

Cafedirect scoops ‘Branding Project of the Year’ award

British coffee brand Cafédirect has won the Packaging News ‘Branding Project of the Year’ award for its bespoke, small-batch London Fields Roastery range. read more

Coca-Cola FEMSA announces 4% drop in revenues for Q3

Coca-Cola FEMSA – the largest Coca-Cola franchise bottler in the world by sales volume – has announced results for the third quarter and the first nine months of 2020. The Mexico-City-headquartered firm recorded a four-per-cent drop in its total revenues for Q3. read more

Positive new trends drive change in distilling sector across Africa

The Covid-19 pandemic has prompted organisations across Africa to invest in distilling facilities for the first time, and has prompted existing distillers and brewers to innovate and diversify. This is according to Hendre Barnard, Training and Marketing Manager at Distillique – one of the partners of next year’s upcoming food & drink technology Africa trade exhibition (13–15 July 2021 in Johannesburg). read more