While New Zealand has managed the pandemic better than most, a lack of tourism and difficulties with shipping have taken a toll on wine sales. Martin Green reports.

Fever-Tree has announced full year revenue declines of 3% year-on-year for for the financial year ending 31 December 2020.

London Cocktail Week has announced that the 2021 festival will once again be extended to the full month of October and not host The Cocktail Village.

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

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

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

Tanqueray has kicked off a raft of innovation by launching a Blackcurrant Royale variant made with French blackcurrants, vanilla and black orchid.

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.

Diageo managed to grow organic sales by 1% in the six months to December 31 despite suffering from restrictions on the on-trade and travel retail.

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.

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

Tullamore DEW brand ambassador John Quinn has been named the new chairman of trade group Drinks Ireland | Irish Whiskey Association.

Renowned South African winemaker Bruce Jack speaks to Drinks International about the challenges the industry has faced this year and its future prospects.

Strong demand in the UK and China allowed Australia to increase wine exports by 4% during the 12 months to September 30.

Carlsberg increased its forecast for full-year earnings after enjoying organic volume growth of 2.4% during the third quarter.

Resilient off-trade sales in the USA and Europe helped Pernod Ricard rally during the first quarter of fiscal 2021.

Eighteen trade associations have joined forces to call for an immediate elimination of the retaliatory tariffs that the US and EU have imposed upon spirits, wine and beer.

Mocktails Brands has appointed Craftwork as its UK distributor in a bid to ramp up sales of its premixed alcohol-free cocktails among British consumers.

Diageo stock enjoyed its best session since March after chief executive Ivan Menezes issued a positive trading update ahead of the firm’s annual meeting.

India, one of the largest spirits consuming and producing countries in the world, has never had it easy when it comes to the matter of alcohol.

A new online resource is dedicated to shining a light on “wine talent in the black, Asian and minority ethnic communities”.

The US bar and restaurant industry revived 592,000 jobs across the country in July, according to new statistics from the Bureau of Labor.

Heineken has reported a 52.5% decline in first-half earnings after the Covid-19 pandemic took a toll on its on-trade business.

Diageo has announced a $100 million support package to help the global bar trade get back on its feet as the coronavirus lockdown ends.

Camden Town Brewery will give away 260,000 pints to UK trade customers in order to help them get back on their feet when pubs reopen.

Wines of South Africa has moved trade show Cape Wine from September 2021 to October 2022 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Campari Group has tied up a €23.4 million deal to purchase a 49% stake in Italy’s leading online wine and spirits retailer.

Bordeaux winemakers are pulling out all the stops in a bid to present the trade with an en primeur campaign amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Alcoholic beverage sales have remained steady in Finland during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to new stats from monopoly retailer Alko.

A study suggests that alcohol consumption has remained broadly stable during the coronavirus lockdown in Belgium.

Spanish producer Zamora Company has reported that wine and spirits sales in China have recovered as the country emerges from a sweeping coronavirus lockdown.

Engagement with alcoholic drinks brands on social media has increased by more than 300% during the coronavirus lockdown, according to social analytics agency ListenFirst.

Diageo has suspended share buybacks for the rest of the year as a result of financial uncertainty sparked by the coronavirus outbreak.

Members of the British drinks trade that have lost their income due to the coronavirus outbreak can apply for a one-off grant worth £250 this week.

The US off-trade has seen soaring sales of wine, spirits and beer as shoppers stocked up ahead of a lengthy coronavirus lockdown, according to Nielsen stats.

Quintessential Brands unveiled Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin yesterday at UK on-trade show Imbibe Live.

Attracting younger wine drinkers and in-country representation is key to success in Asia, says research commissioned by Messe Düsseldorf, the company behind ProWein.

London International Wine Trade Fair organiser, Brintex, has announced that the 2013 show will now start on the Monday, May 20 instead of the usual Tuesday. The three-day show will therefore finish on the Wednesday, May 22.

Michael Cox has been installed as the 518th Master of the Worshipful Company of Vintners for the forthcoming year.

South African wine estate Kleine Zalze has signalled its intention to target the independent retailing channel in the UK by moving its entire portfolio of wines to Hatch Mansfield.

The US is to officially recognise cachaça as a spirit from Brazil. The sugar cane spirit is currently labelled Brazilian rum in the US.

Events firm Brintex has voiced optimism ahead of this year’s London International Wine Fair (LIWF) and Distil despite the absences of Pernod Ricard, Percy Fox (Diageo’s UK wine division) and PLB.

Mount Gay Rum Distilleries and UK distributor First Drinks have appointed Miguel Smith as European brand ambassador for Mount Gay Rum.

The trade wine fair ProWein attracted over 40,000 visitors, according to its organisers Messe Düsseldorf.

The European Union and the US Distilled Spirits Council (DISCUS) have welcomed a decision that finds the Philippines to be in breach of trade rules when it comes to tax on imported spirits.

A minimum unit price for alcohol set out in today’s (November 1) Scottish government Bill is unlikely to reduce alcohol misuse, will threaten the £3.4 billion whisky industry and will punish moderate drinkers, according to the trade. 

Deep discounting on wine by UK retailers may be having less impact on consumer behaviour, according to a new report

Brown-Forman Duty Free has made four senior-level appointments, effective immediately.

Pernod Ricard has appointed bartender and 'tequila expert' Matthias Lataille as UK ambassador for Olmeca Altos.

UK: Glenfiddich has launched the 2011 Glenfiddich Malt Mastermind competition. The aim of the game is to find the “trade’s most passionate malt enthusiasts”.