NEWS GENERAL:
Alcohol takes health toll
The Telegraph released alarming figures about the impact of alcohol consumption on our health. Apparently hospital admissions due to drink reached 860,000 in the past year. While the drinks industry is certainly doing its bit to combat irresponsible drinking, that number is still pretty shocking.
http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=204440
Oddbins denies financial trouble
Oddbins has written to its suppliers denying it is in financial trouble after former owner Castel lodged a claim against the business at Companies House following a dispute over money, the Daily Telegraph reports.
http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=204430
‘White wine rots your teeth… and brushing makes it worse’
White wine wears enamel off teeth quicker than red wine a study has found. Scientists have found whites such as Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio wear away enamel more quickly than red wines such as Merlot and claret.
http://www.thepublican.com/story.asp?sectioncode=7&storycode=65509&c=1
Estrella Damm now distributed by Wells & Youngs
The Bedford brewer has taken over the rights from AB InBev, which has pursued a policy of selling off selected assets since its formation. New UK adverts have already been planned for 2010, and will feature the strapline: ‘The Beer of Barcelona’.
http://www.thepublican.com/story.asp?sectioncode=7&storycode=65396&c=1
Alcohol consumption falling at fastest rate for more than 60 years
Alcohol consumption in the UK is falling at the fastest rate for more than 60 years. This is compared with 4.15 litres per head in the same period of last year.
http://www.thepublican.com/story.asp?sectioncode=7&storycode=65490&c=1
Campaigners target cheap off-trade booze
Cheap supermarket booze has been blamed for causing health problems. Mystery shoppers visited supermarkets in six towns and cities and found widespread examples of “alcohol being promoted and sold at pocket money prices.” According to Our Life, who published the research, alcohol is now 75 per cent more affordable than it was in 1980.
http://www.thepublican.com/story.asp?sectioncode=7&storycode=65513&c=1
Pub vouchers to be launched across the trade
The first ever voucher scheme designed for use solely across the on-trade is to launch next month – and pubs are being urged to get involved. Customers will be able to buy vouchers from the Pub Tokens website in £10 and £20 denominations. These can then be spent on food, drink and accommodation at pubs listed on the site.
http://www.thepublican.com/story.asp?sectioncode=7&storycode=65382&c=1
BEER, ALE & CIDER:
Marston’s launches week-long cask beer celebration
Marston’s is kicking-off its first ever cask beer celebration later this month – giving drinkers in its pubs the chance to taste 23 different beers. Customers will also get the chance to vote for the beer they’d like to see appearing in their pub regularly.
http://www.thepublican.com/story.asp?sectioncode=7&storycode=65497&c=1
Everards offers a year’s beer for best memorabilia
Everards is offering a year’s worth of beer to the customer who comes up with the best piece of memorabilia to help celebrate the brewery’s 160th anniversary.
http://www.thepublican.com/story.asp?sectioncode=7&storycode=65502&c=1
S&N to close Gateshead brewery
Production of Newcastle Brown Ale is to leave Tyneside with the closure of Scottish & Newcastle’s Dunston brewery in Gateshead by the middle of next year. S&N said it was “committed” to the Newcastle Brown brand and would continue to promote it in the north east of England.
http://www.offlicencenews.co.uk/articles/74246/S/N-to-close-Gateshead-brewery.aspx?categoryid=9059
Brewdog launches online shares scheme
Independent brewer Brewdog is using the internet to sell 10,000 shares in the business. The Scottish brewer has called the online scheme “Equity for Punks” and is offering the shares at £230 each. It said the £2.3 million raised by selling the shares via equityforpunks.com will provide the funding for “the world’s first carbon neutral eco-brewery” in Aberdeen.
Devon Cider goes into administration
The administrator is seeking to sell it as a going concern and no redundancies have been made. Devon Cider employs 50 people and turnover is around £20 million.
OFT will take no further action on pubcos
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) will take no further action following the Campaign for Real Ale’s (Camra) super-complaint over pubcos and the beer tie. The OFT said it had “not found evidence that supply ties are resulting in competition problems that are having an adverse impact on consumers”.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/article/84810?PagingData=Po_0~Ps_10~Psd_Asc
Win Greene King IPA tickets to Quins v London Irish
Greene King IPA, the official beer of Harlequins, has teamed up with the Morning Advertiser to offer three lucky readers a pair of tickets each to see Quins take on London Irish at The Stoop on Saturday 31st October.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/article/84756?N=598283&PagingData=Po_0~Ps_10~Psd_Asc
Old Speckled Hen fan plays the pint
An Old Speckled Hen ale fan has created his own orchestra to play Beethoven’s Ode to Joy from bottles of the beer. The tune is played by Vincent and pal Graham Mann on 36 bottles and 24 pints of cask beer. Watch the performance on the link below.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/article/84800
SPIRITS:
Jameson aims to drive trial with smaller bottle
Pernod Ricard has unveiled plans to boost the appeal of Jameson whiskey among young men, aided by the introduction of a smaller bottle size. Pernod is running a £1.2m cinema campaign featuring the new strapline ‘Easy going Irish’. The ad runs until the end of the year.
http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=204378
£2.5m Southern Comfort push
Bacardi Brown-Forman is spending £2.5 million on what it claims is the biggest ever marketing campaign for Southern Comfort. Nationwide sampling at selected retailers in the run-up to Christmas will target 45,000 consumers, and in-store leaflets will feature alternative ways to serve Southern Comfort. Limited edition gift packs will also be available exclusively for independent retailers from this month.
http://www.offlicencenews.co.uk/articles/74687/%C2%A325m-Southern-Comfort-push.aspx?categoryid=247
WINE, CHAMPAGNE:
LVMH Champagne loses fizz
Poor sales of Moët & Chandon, Dom Perignon, Krug and Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne led to a near-20% fall in alcohol sales at LVMH over the first nine months of 2009.
http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=204439
First consumer wine fair for Nicolas
Nicolas is to hold its first consumer wine fair at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London on November 6 and 7. Over 200 wines and spirits from 40 producers will be available to taste over the two days.
Innovation for bag-in-box wines
Sainsbury’s has hailed a new twist on bag-in-box wines as “one of the most exciting packaging innovations in wine that we have ever seen”. Constellation has launched Freshcase, a 2.25-litre box with a new-style, less-drippy tap, and a white wine version with the tap built into the base so that it can be stored horizontally in the domestic fridge.
http://www.offlicencenews.co.uk/articles/74684/Innovation-for-bag-in-box-wines.aspx?categoryid=9059
SOFT DRINKS & FOOD:
UK’s food and drink exports soar once again
The sector is already on track for its fourth consecutive year of record export growth and the FDF is predicting exports of food and soft drinks to break the £10bn barrier for the first time this year.
http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=204436
Premier: core brands key for this Christmas
Consumers had defied expectations last Christmas by refusing to trade down from branded goods to own-label, but rising unemployment had prompted fresh fears that shoppers would not be able to afford a “very merry Christmas” this year, said the Hovis and Mr Kipling maker.
http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=204357