Beverages

Coke’s Himalaya plant plans spark environmentalists' fury

23-Apr-2013 By RJ Whitehead

AN agreement between Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages and the Uttarakhand government to set up a Rs600cr (US$110m) manufacturing plant in Dehradun’s Vikas Nagar Tehsil has drawn the rage of local environmental groups.

(Elephant) Crap stout prompts Japanese sales stampede

22-Apr-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

A limited edition coffee-flavored beer brewed using coffee beans harvested from elephant dung sold out within a day after going on sale in Japan, brewer Sankt Gallen claims.

Beverage safety

Bottled water catfight exposes China’s reliance on muddled standards

15-Apr-2013 By RJ Whitehead

Bottled water producer Nongfu Spring has launched an attack on the company it claims is behind allegations that its product contains more chemicals than are allowed in China’s tap water.

AB InBev indicates further China growth

09-Apr-2013 By RJ Whitehead

Buoyed no doubt by new premier Xi Jinping’s seemingly positive approach to the presence of international businesses in China, Anheuser-Busch InBev has indicated it plans to make further inroads in the country.

Company update

Nestlé Japan 100 years on: wasabi KitKats and nutrition on wheels

04-Apr-2013 By RJ Whitehead

A great deal has changed in Japanese society since Nestlé opened the doors to its Far East division for the first time 100 years ago. And as the company moves into its second century, Japan now faces a raft of issue brought about by a chronically ageing...

Nestlé brewing hot cup of promise for Chinese coffee growers

03-Apr-2013 By RJ Whitehead

An agreement between Nestlé and a local government in China’s Yunnan Province will accelerate the development of the coffee industry in the country, the F&B company has predicted.

Cola cricket

IPL sponsorship just the start for cricket-loving Pepsi

02-Apr-2013 By RJ Whitehead

With the opening of the 2013 edition of the Indian Premier League, PepsiCo is wheeling out its biggest marketing coup to the cricket-crazy public of India.

Indonesian officials warn minimum wage could cost drinks jobs

26-Mar-2013 By Jennifer Lewis

Officials in Indonesia have warned that several industries in the country, including the beverage industry, could be damaged if the proposed minimum wage increase is not delayed.

Happy holidays

Australian F&B spending to rise again this Easter, say analysts

21-Mar-2013 By RJ Whitehead

Easter, which falls between March 29 and April 1, is traditionally a period of heavy consumption, and business information analysts Ibisworld have lifted the lid on continued strong holiday expectations and changing tastes in F&B and confectionery...

Research

Kids with easy access to sweet drinks 5x more likely to overindulge

18-Mar-2013 By RJ Whitehead

Primary and secondary school students are five times more likely to be high consumers of sugar-sweetened drinks, such as soft drinks, if these drinks are available in their homes, according to a University of Sydney study published in the journal Preventative...

Sri Lanka to build world’s biggest PET plant

14-Mar-2013

Sri Lanka looks destined to build the world’s largest polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging resin plant with an investment of over US$500m dollars.

US FIRM ACCUSES CHINESE ARMY OF GLOBAL IP CYBER ATTACKS

Coca-Cola accused as US-China cyber war of words escalates

14-Mar-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

Chinese authorities have accused Coca-Cola China of illegally mapping parts of Yunnan Province, while a high-profile US cyber-security company alleges that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is behind at least 115 cyberattacks on US firms, and three foreign...

Beam Inc. Scotches talk of Teacher’s whiskey losing Indian No.1 spot

13-Mar-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

Beam Inc. insists to BeverageDaily.com that Teacher’s remains the bestselling Scotch Whiskey brand in India, despite press reports suggesting it has lost that position to Pernod Ricard’s 100 Pipers in the wake of Beam’s ongoing probe into potential local...

US wines talk to the Chinese, with an American twang: Maryhill Winery

11-Mar-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

The owner of a Washington State winery says that Chinese wine consumers in the ‘middle ground’ are hungry for affordable US wines that assure them a quality that native products often lack.

Recycling

Grocery industry to spend A$100m on recycling scheme

11-Mar-2013 By RJ Whitehead

The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has celebrated last week’s ruling by the Federal Court against the Northern Territory Container Tax—the AFGC’s bête noir—by announcing a A$100m industry-led recycling scheme and releasing data to show that...

Carlsberg bids $466m to take control off China’s Chongqing Brewery Company

05-Mar-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

Carlsberg says it is taking an ‘important step forward’ in China with a $466m offer for a controlling stake in Chongqing Brewery Company (CBC), in a move to double the number of native breweries it directly controls.

United Spirits: India regulator gives green light for $2bn Diageo deal

01-Mar-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

The Indian Competition Commission (CCI) has approved Diageo’s purchase of a 53.4% stake in United Spirits (USL), saying that the £1.28bn ($2.04bn) purchase may boost the nation’s premium spirits market and improve consumer choice without jeopardizing...

INDUSTRY VOICES: GUEST ARTICLE, HEAD OF AKTIEFOKUS CHINA, JACOB DE LICHTENBERG

Carlsberg mulls potential $1.2bn China M&A move in Chongqing

01-Mar-2013 By Jacob de Lichtenberg

After a quiet beginning to 2013, M&A activity is heating up in China’s beer market, as Carlsberg said on Monday it was considering upping its stake in Chongqing Brewery, intensifying the fight among global brewers for production assets there.

Gulfood 2013 blog

Sports legend meets pragmatism as a brand enters India

27-Feb-2013 By RJ Whitehead in Dubai

It is hard for a food industry trade show to pack the same level of glamour as, say, the Tokyo Motor Show, so it’s probably best for organisers not to try. But every now and again, in a moment of wild abandon, a celebrity or sports star graces a show’s...

Film tipples

Popcorn, spirits and Les Mis: an Oscar-winning combination

26-Feb-2013 By RJ Whitehead

With the film awards season now in full flow, an Australian market research company has identified that cinemagoers are more likely to have a tipple than those who stay in and watch the television.

Dohler expands MENA might with Delta Aromatic acquisition

25-Feb-2013 By RJ Whitehead

Already a mainstay in the Middle East ingredients market, Dohler has now announced further expansion in the region following its acquisition of the fruit processing and flavour unit of Delta Aromatic in Egypt.

Australian advertisers

Doctors hit out at alcohol’s ability to self-regulate

21-Feb-2013 By RJ Whitehead

Accusing Australia’s alcohol industry of being incapable of self-regulation, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) has called on the government to launch an inquiry into alcohol marketing amid what it calls an unprecedented push by the industry to...

Testing the law

NT container deposit scheme moves to court

20-Feb-2013 By RJ Whitehead

Following an ongoing furious stand-off between drinks manufacturers, environmental groups and the local government, the Northern Territory’s opinion-splitting container deposit scheme has now reached the point of litigation.

Coca-Cola recalls Schweppes due to glass defect

18-Feb-2013

Coca-Cola Amatil is recalling five Schweppes mixers because of possible glass contamination.

dutch brewer will not 'change course' in china

Heineken hints at appetite for non-core European disposals in FY 2012 results call

13-Feb-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

Heineken said today it is reviewing its non-core European businesses that don’t focus fully on beer, and asking whether its ownership of such assets makes strategic sense.

Straight talk

Inquest into NZ Coke addict deserves more than sensational headlines

13-Feb-2013 By RJ Whitehead

The story of the death of a New Zealand woman who would drink between six and 10 litres of Coca-Cola a day needs to be treated with caution as it does the rounds of the world’s news media. 

Coke unfazed by recent Chinese sales slump, stretches sparkling lead over PepsiCo

12-Feb-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

The Coca-Cola Company insists it remains confident in the long-term resilience of its Chinese business, despite a 4% slump in volume sales during the last quarter of 2012.

Diageo spirits ABC is advantage over SAB Miller: Analyst suggests

11-Feb-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

Diageo is in an arguably stronger market position than multinational peer SAB Miller due to its core exposure to spirits rather than beer, according to one City analyst who covers the firm.

Booze woes

Two drinking tales give reasons for India's dampened spirits

11-Feb-2013 By RJ Whitehead

The latest financial results by two of India’s spirits giants makes for fascinating reading and gives a real insight to casual observers as to the state of the drinks industry in the country. 

The world (of Coke and Pepsi) is not enough in emerging markets...

05-Feb-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

Clinching global culture club membership by swigging Pepsi or Coke is not enough for soft drinks consumers in emerging markets, who are increasingly swayed by regional tastes, according to Euromonitor International.

Carlsberg re-enters Burma clutching plans for new 1m hectoliter brewery

01-Feb-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

Carlsberg today formed a JV with a Burmese brewer to produce and market its brand portfolio, and told BeverageDaily.com the nation offered 'huge growth potential' in an under-penetrated beer category.

Australia's labelling free-for-all

Researchers call for tooth-decay warnings on soft drinks

31-Jan-2013 By RJ Whitehead

The latest call for advisories on Australian food labels comes from researchers at the University of Adelaide, who say that any health warnings for soft drinks should include the risk of tooth decay. This follows a new study that looks at the consumption...

Diageo faces struggle to make United Spirits pay: Analyst

30-Jan-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

The potential upsides in Diageo’s potential acquisition of a majority stake in India's United Spirits (USL) are clear but achieving acceptable profitability from the business may be tricky, according to one analyst.

Coke and Pepsi shifting bottling assets to build brands in 2013: Rabobank analyst

29-Jan-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo are looking to shift bottling assets onto strong franchise partners in order to refocus in house efforts on brand building and marketing.

State of the industry

New Zealand winemakers talking tactics for China push

28-Jan-2013 By RJ Whitehead

Recognising the newfound importance of the Chinese wine market, New Zealand’s vintners are pulling out the stops to make sure their exports have a place in Far East cellars.

Better, stronger VB arrests decade-long decline

24-Jan-2013 By RJ Whitehead

Victoria Bitter’s heartfelt apology last year is likely behind the beer’s turnaround in the Australian market, after the SABMiller brand showed its first quarter of growth in over 10 years of steady 10% declines.

‘Cold, wet winter’ subdues SAB Miller Chinese volumes

22-Jan-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

SAB Miller is blaming ‘exceptionally cold and wet winter weather’ for a third quarter volume decline in China, which meant lager volumes declined in its Asia Pacific business by 1% overall.

China’s Top 5 most valuable alcohol brands in 2013: From beer to baijiu

21-Jan-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

In this exclusive gallery, BeverageDaily.com explores the Top 5 Chinese alcohol brands by value, which sees the nation’s movers ‘n’ shakers reaching out to the world with baijiu, beer and wine.

Industry hits back at Australia’s ‘flawed’ soft-drink campaign

21-Jan-2013 By RJ Whitehead

Just days after a massive public health campaign to tackle the overconsumption of soft drinks was launched, the initiative has already drawn its critics, with one group suggesting the campaign’s demands are “short-sighted” and “lazy”.

NESTLE POISED FOR CONTINUED CHINESE COFFEE DOMINANCE: ANALYST

China wakes up, smells Nestlé’s ‘unique’ coffee flavor

14-Jan-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

Nestlé’s ‘smart investment’ in Chinese whole bean coffee is likely to consolidate its market-leading position within the category there, as it stands poised to release a local product, according to a top beverage analyst.

Wine Intelligence warns exporters of wine dollar delusion in China

11-Jan-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

Wine Intelligence has warned wine exporters to China against 'seeing only dollar signs' in the world's fifth-largest wine market, and said it was important to understand Chinese consumers, not just parachute in western brands.

Manjushree Technopack sets out growth plans

11-Jan-2013 By Rod Addy

Packaging firm Manjushree Technopack aims to double sales by 2015, driven by the growth of the middle class in India, and is poised to start construction on a fourth factory.

Coca-Cola China files police claim against ‘false’ fungicide rumors

10-Jan-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

The Coca-Cola Company has confirmed that it has filed a police report in China targeting recent internet hoax rumors that its orange juice contains an illegal fungicide, and will pursue legal redress.

INDUSTRY VOICES: HEAD OF AKTIEFOKUS CHINA, JACOB DE LICHTENBERG

Tsingtao tightens grip on central Shaanxi as AB InBev lurks

08-Jan-2013 By Jacob de Lichtenberg

Chinese beer giant Tsingtao Brewery is set to further consolidate its leading market position in Shaanxi by significantly expanding capacity with two new breweries, while AB InBev is also rumoured to be keen on penetrating the central Chinese province.

Heineken strongly denies whispers of APB unrest and ‘stifled creativity’

04-Jan-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

Heineken strongly denies to BeverageDaily.com that the resignation of several high-profile managers from its recent $6.53bn acquisition Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) attests to unrest at the Singapore-based firm.

State of the industry

Bottled water amounting to big bucks in Indonesia

18-Dec-2012 By RJ Whitehead

Indonesia's bottled water market may be one of the most high valued markets in the world, but there are still plenty of opportunities for growth, new research from UK-based research firm Mintel said.

Coca-Cola FEMSA buys Coke’s Philippines bottling operation for $688.5m

14-Dec-2012 By Ben BOUCKLEY

Coca-Cola FEMSA has sealed a deal to acquire a majority stake in the Coca-Cola Company’s Philippines bottling operation in Mexico City, and hailed an import milestone in its history.

ANALYST INSIGHT

Suntory UK focus after $6bn IPO could see it snaffle Barr Britvic: Analyst

13-Dec-2012 By Ben BOUCKLEY

With rumors swirling that Japanese giant Suntory is considering a $6bn IPO next year, one analyst reasons that any desire to enter the UK market could see it target Barr Britvic Soft Drinks.

Suntory plans share sale to fund M&A drive?

12-Dec-2012 By Ben Bouckley

Multinational Suntory Holdings plans to sell shares in its non-alcoholic drinks business to fund a mergers and acquisitions (M&A) drive, according to unnamed sources cited by Bloomberg.

Coca-Cola Amatil brews cider first as Swedish hit Rekorderlig joins 2014 portfolio

12-Dec-2012 By Ben BOUCKLEY

Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) has signed a deal to distribute Swedish cider Rekorderlig in Australia from January 2014, and said its sales and distribution strength would help consolidate the brand’s market-leading position.