- Latest news & comment - 5th January
UK: Constellation Europe begins reshuffle (MEM)
Constellation Europe has announced senior management changes to its wine, spirits and cider divisions as part of a major restructuring plan.
UK: Innocent Drinks MD quits (REG)
Innocent Drinks has said that UK managing director Jamie Mitchell will leave the firm, but denied the move was connected to a sales slip in 2008.
FRANCE: Chateau Latour not for sale - Pinault (MEM)
French billionaire businessman François Pinault has denied rumours that Château Latour, his Bordeaux wine estate valued at a minimum EUR200m (US$272m), is for sale.
- UK: JD Wetherspoon slashes price of pint (MEM)UK pub chain JD Wetherspoon is cutting the price of a pint of beer to GBP0.99 (US$1.44) as part of new discounts for 2009.
- US: The Wine Group plumps for Tetra Pak over glass (REG)The Wine Group has dropped the single-serve glass bottle offering for its Glen Ellen and Fish Eye wine brands in the US, in favour of Tetra Paks.
- UK: Constellation Europe launches Nobilo promotion Constellation Europe has launched a promotion for its premium New Zealand brand Nobilo.
- UK: Britvic revives ‘Brains’ for Drench ad (REG)Britvic has revived its ‘breakdancing Brains’ character in a new UK ad for its mineral water brand Drench.
- US: NuCO2 buys rival drinks carbonation business (REG)NuCO2, provider of systems for carbonated beverage fountains in the US, has boosted its presence on the market by purchasing nexAir's Bulk CO2 business.
- US: DNA Beverage Corp appoints sales VP DNA Beverage Corp, the US energy drinks group, has promoted Russ Rickon to vice president of national sales.
- UK: Carlsberg in County Estate Pubs partnership Carlsberg UK has formed a partnership with County Estate Management Pubs and Country Choice to offer an entry-level food concept as part of the ‘Savour It’ brand.
- News by sector
2008 - That's a wrap
23rd December 2008 15:08
Well, that's that for another year. And what a year it's been for us here on just-drinks. We've had an amazing 12 months, travelling the world and meeting the great and the good of the global drink...
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- Reports in focus
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Adults of Generation Y in the US: Hitting the Demographic, Lifestyle and Marketing Mark
Published Dec 2008 - (£ 2406.25) -
Global Soft Drinks 2008
Published Nov 2008 - (£ 2400.00) -
2008 Beverage Packaging in the U.S.
Published Dec 2008 - (£ 3496.88) -
Global Industry Analysis - Wine & Spirit Producers
Published Dec 2008 - (£ 750.00) -
2009 Worldwide Drinking Places & Bars Industry Report (download)
Published Dec 2008 - (£ 155.63)
- Hot topic
just-drinks Soft drinks & water review 2008
Soft drinks & water review 2008 - Coke has the best of a tough year for soft drinks (MEM)
While the past 12 months have been difficult for many soft drinks companies, notably in North America, the last year has seen continued development in better-for-you categories, notably enhanced waters and healthy colas. Ben Cooper takes a look back at 2008.
Related items
- Wine review 2008 - Wine industry buffeted by economic storm (REG)
- Spirits review 2008 - Pernod’s swoop for Absolut defines 2008 as Diageo has quiet year (REG)
- Beer review 2008 - Mega-merger marks ‘watershed’ year for beer (REG)
Previous hot topics
- Free members' briefing
Most certainly the biggest story in the spirits industry, like virtually all other industries, was the economic downturn that struck the world this year. Despite the claims of many spirits companies, that they offer “affordable luxury” with their products, trading down seems to be here to stay for the foreseeable future. For the wine industry, 2008 was not a year of huge deals and seismic shifts in the corporate landscape. Instead, the downturn made its presence felt, accentuating the pressures already affecting businesses all around the world. Whilst in years to come, many observers will look back on 2008 as a watershed for the global brewing industry. After an already sustained period of consolidation, the trend appeared to reach its zenith this year, with what could safely be termed a ‘mega-consolidation’. And in looking for issues which have dominated the soft drinks pages over the last year, one need really go no further than, yes, you've guessed it, the state of the global economy. Review the year that was, with just-drinks' top contributors, sector by sector.
