Alcoholic Beverage

Single-serve sake expands minis market in US, Australia

14-Jan-2020 By Beth Newhart

Sake originated in Japan and is made alcoholic from fermented rice. Hiro Sake wants to make the trend portable and accessible with smaller, on-the-go portions.

Good health? First Australian federal territory to impose minimum price for alcohol

28-Feb-2018 By Gary Scattergood

Australia’s Northern Territory will become the first jurisdiction in the country to set a minimum price for alcohol, in a move that has been welcomed by health experts but is likely to face a backlash from industry.

Beverage firms eye better prospects for Turkey booze sales after five years of turmoil

17-Jan-2018 By Gary Scattergood

Beverage firms are hoping that 2018 will usher in a brighter dawn for alcohol sales in Turkey, after several tough years in the wake of sales clampdowns and a tough economic environment.

Sri Lanka's president overrules moves to allow women to buy alcohol

15-Jan-2018 By Gary Scattergood

Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena has blocked moves by the government to allow women to buy alcohol and work in bars without a permit, claiming he wasn't consulted about the plans.

Tastes changing more among upper-class as Chinese experience greater wealth

11-Jan-2018 By RJ Whitehead

The highest-earning 10% of the urban Chinese drink over seven times as much wine and consume more than twice as much dessert as their counterparts at the bottom end of the wage scale.

India’s FSSAI to regulate alcohol for the first time

10-Jan-2018 By Lester Wan

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FFSAI) is set to regulate alcoholic beverages in the country to ensure it is within a safe and permissible limit.

Brands queue to enter Australia’s kombucha-crazy market, but where are the globals?

14-Dec-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Australia’s biggest kombucha manufacturer has launched a new, native flavour, reflecting the lightning-fast growth of the fizzy fermented beverage in the country – but so far the globals don’t seem to getting in on the act.

Australian consumer group calls for mandatory kilojoule labelling for alcohol

12-Dec-2017 By Rachel Arthur

Australian consumer advocacy group CHOICE is campaigning for mandatory kilojoule (calorie) labelling on alcoholic beverages, in order to give consumers more information about what they drink.

Forget saké, here’s sachi – the first booze made from a tofu by-product

28-Nov-2017 By Lester Wan

A new alcoholic drink rich in isoflavones has been made from whey that is usually wasted during tofu production.

From fermented bubbles to crispy fruit: Texture will be 2018's top trend, says Mintel

31-Oct-2017 By Niamh Michail

Texture will be one of 2018's defining trends, especially textures from natural processing techniques such as fermentation and baking - and Europe is already leading the way for global launches, according to Mintel.

Dateline Southeast Asia

Asahi leaves difficult Indonesian soft drinks market to focus on alcohol business

12-Oct-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Asahi will divest of its interest in a joint venture with Indonesia’s Indofood and retrain its focus on alcohol.

Baiju maker to target under-30s in Thailand launch

08-Sep-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Joybo baiju will soon bring its bizarre marketing to Thailand, where it is planning to attract young spirits drinkers.

This week Down Under

Young drinkers say they are immune to alcohol warning labels

07-Sep-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Alcohol warning labels on drinks bottles are having no effect on young Australians, say Australian researchers. 

Cross-border e-commerce pursues dramatic growth, but can it continue?

06-Sep-2017 By RJ Whitehead

The sheer scale of demand for Australian and New Zealand goods in China has been revealed in a striking report—though indications suggests that cross-border e-commerce might soon have reached its peak.

This week Down Under

Drinks firms ignore sober Millennials at their peril

24-Aug-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Not only are Australian Millennials less likely to drink alcohol than their parents, only around half have consumed grog in the past month—compared to 65% of Gen X-ers and 72% of boozy Boomers.