La Martiniquaise has announced the acquisition of French spirit Generous Gin, to add to the group’s premium offer and its ‘Craft From France’ portfolio.

Diageo has announced that its chief executive officer Sir Ivan Menezes will be retiring and is set to depart from the Diageo Board on 30 June this year, following 10 years leading the company.

Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits has announced its plans to acquire Miami-based WEBB Banks, a distributor of brands including Tito's Handmade Vodka, in the Caribbean, Central and South America, as well as the travel retail and cruise sector. 

A new report by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) has revealed that total US spirits exports reached a record $2.06bn in 2022, buoyed by the temporary halt to retaliatory tariffs, with American whiskey exports to the UK remaining lower than pre-tariff levels.

Premium spirits supplier Speciality Drinks has announced the appointment of The Mixing Class founder Hannah Lanfear in a newly-created advocacy manager role.

Diageo, purveyor of Johnnie Walker and Guinness, has announced half year results to 31 December 2022 with reported net sales of £9.4bn, increased 18.4%, reflecting strong organic net sales growth.

Drinks marketing, events and brand activation agency, ItalSpirits, has appointed Roberta Mariani as advocacy director.

Brown-Forman Corporation has announced the appointment of Larry Combs to the newly created role of chief information officer and director of supply chain integration and strategy.

Estonian spirits producer, Liviko, and Conaxess Trade Beverages have signed a distribution agreement for Denmark.

Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits has announced that its e-commerce platform, Proof, has passed the $3 billion revenue mark in 2022.

Global Brands Limited has announced it has purchased the Hooch, Hooper’s, and Reef trademarks from Molson Coors Beverage Company.

Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes has received a knighthood in King Charles' first New Year’s Honours list, an appointment that allows him to use the title ‘sir’.

The UK government has outlined plans to extend licensing hours in pubs, clubs and bars across England and Wales to mark the royal coronation.

The UK government’s freeze on alcohol duty is to be extended until August 2023 to help UK hospitality venues amid rising costs.

The no- and low-alcohol categories grew by more than 7% in volume across 10 key global markets in 2022 to surpass a market value of $11bn, a new report from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis has revealed.

With rail strikes set to bring the UK’s rail network to a standstill, as rail workers walk out over a long-running row over jobs, pay and conditions, hospitality businesses are seeing large-scale cancellations impacting the sector at its most critical trading period of the year. 

WSET (the Wine & Spirit Education Trust) has announced that Kirsten Grant Meikle will join its Board of Trustees, replacing Allen Gibbons as the Worshipful Company of Distillers’ representative.

According to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, the first half of 2022 (H1) saw value growth of beverage alcohol reaching historic highs, driven by a combination of post-pandemic demand and price increases.

Louisville-based Sazerac will invest US$600 million in new barrel warehouses in London, Laurel County, Kentucky.

Diageo is celebrating the graduation of 14 students, including seven Ukrainian refugees, from its Learning for Life hospitality training programme.

A group of over 100 UK drink industry figures have signed a letter written to The Times urging the chancellor to rethink its decision to reverse the alcohol duty freeze.

Berry Bros. & Rudd has reported a 3.7% sales growth for FY22 following recent investments in the business of fine wine collecting.

Mangrove Global, the premium UK spirits distributor, has announced the addition of East London Liquor Company to its portfolio.

Campari Group has released its results for the first nine months of 2022, which saw strong performance and net sales of €2,005.7 million, up +27.3% on a reported basis.

Pernod Ricard has released its sales and results for Q1 FY23, with sales totalling €3,308 million and an organic growth of +11%.

The IWSR Drinks Market Analysis has released results for its 2022 Strategic Study examining and forecasting growth in the ready-to-drink (RTD) category.

Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has announced that planned increases in alcohol duty have been ditched in his mini-budget.

America’s largest spirits trade show, Bar Convent Brooklyn has announced its return to an expanded space at Brooklyn’s Industry City on Tuesday 13 June and Wednesday 14 June 2023 for what promises to be its largest show yet.

A strong performance in key markets saw Beam Suntory’s net sales increase by 13% year-on-year in the first half of 2022, a 25% increase on the pre-pandemic period in 2019.

Diageo has announced its preliminary results for the year, ended 30 June 2022, with strong performance and investments into long-term growth.

The value of the global alcohol market grew by 12% to reach US$1.17 trillion in 2021, making up for the 4% covid-driven losses in 2020, new data from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis has found.

Diageo has announced a two-year partnership with Queer Britain in London, the UK’s first national LGBTQ+ museum.

Hard seltzer Fountain, has announced a partnership that will see the brand launch bars at some of the UK’s largest venues, including OVO Arena Wembley and AO Arena in Manchester.

Diageo has agreed the sale of its Windsor business to the Bayside Private Equity and Metis Private Equity consortium, Bayside/Metis, for KRW 200 billion (approximately £124 million).

Viña Concha y Toro has reported that profits rose by 26.7% in 2021 with sales of premium wines accounting for more than half of company revenues for the first time.

Drinks Community, The Drinks Trust’s networking platform, has opened mentor and mentee applications for its 2022 Mentor Programme.

Spain’s Zamora Company has appointed Javier Pijoan as its new CEO to replace former chief executive Emilio Restoy.

Sales of no and low alcohol beverages in 10 key global markets reached almost $10 billion in 2021 up from $7.8 billion in 2018, according to a new IWSR report.

Ahead of New Years Eve celebrations, South Africa ended restrictions on the sale of alcohol that have been in place since 27 March 2020.

Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has announced measures to support England’s hospitality sector this festive period as Omicron cases rise.

Tighter restrictions on hospitality venues of been introduced to curb the spread of the Omicron variant in the Republic of Ireland.

Mancino Vermouth has been acquired by The Lucano Group for an undisclosed fee and joins a wide portfolio of premium spirits brands.

Politicians and industry groups are urging the UK government to provide financial support to firms impacted by the rising Covid cases.

Pernod Ricard has completed the sale of a majority stake in Société des Produits d’Armagnac (SPA) to Cloudsweeper, an entity owned by entrepreneur Alexander Stein.

In 2020, craft spirits in the US volume gains of almost 8%, growing to a 5% volume share and 7% value share of the total US spirits market, according to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.

Proof Creative, the bar and beverage consultancy arm of the Asia Pacific-based independent spirits distributor Proof & Co, has launched its 20 Pillar Plan as an online resource.

Lucas Bols has announced a return of revenues to pre-Covid times for the first half of the 2021/22 financial year.

On 1 February 2022 Spiribam, the spirit division of Groupe Bernard Hayot, will open its proprietary operations in the UK for Rhum Clément, Bounty Rum, Chairman’s Reserve and Admiral Rodney.

Demand for ready-to-drink (RTD) products continues to grow amongst consumers, with the category expected to account for 8% of total beverage alcohol by 2025 according to a new report from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.

Pernod Ricard has announced the acquisition of online retailer The Whisky Exchange for an undisclosed fee.