News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

400 wines go on display at French fair

Published: 16 October, 2008

Nearly 400 wines from over 80 producers went on display at the Autumn Exclusive French Wines Fair in London last week.

Wine fraud 'worth' £300 million

Published: 16 October, 2008

Wine fraud has cost unwitting investors around the world up to £300 million in recent years.

Bushmills campaign remembers its roots

Published: 16 October, 2008

Irish whisky brand Bushmills has launched an on and off-trade promotion to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the original licence to distil whisky in the Bushmills area.

InBev "categorically denies" launch of stronger Stella

Published: 16 October, 2008

InBev has issued a statement categorically denying that it is to release a higher ABV variant of Stella Artois.

Diageo holds on to profit target despite downturn

Published: 16 October, 2008

Diageo is holding onto its full year profit target of between 7% and 9%, despite the financial crisis. TextDiageo is holding onto its full year profit target of between 7% and 9%, despite the financial crisis.

The drinks giant, which produces Smirnoff vodka, Johnnie Walker whisky and Guinness said organic net sales growth in the three months ended 30 September 2008 was 6%.

Chief executive Paul Walsh said that Diageo had delivered a "good trading performance" in its first quarter, which ran from July to September, despite anticipated global GDP growth slowing.

Walsh said the company has not seen significant adverse changes in its markets over the past three months, but said that it will be "alert to the impact the recent dislocation in the financial markets is likely to have on trade customer and consumer behaviour during the rest of the financial year."

In August, Diageo reported a lower than expected 7% rise in sales for the year ending June 2008 and a small drop in pre-tax profit to £2.095 billion, but said that operating profit had improved 9% to £2.23bn.

Famous Grouse launches St Andrew's Day campaign

Published: 15 October, 2008

Maxxium is launching an on and off-trade campaign to boost sales of its Famous Grouse whisky brand in the run up to St Andrew's Day.

Paragon re-establishes Australian connection

Published: 15 October, 2008

UK distributor Paragon Vintners has re-established an Australian representation in its portfolio by winning the full UK distribution for South Australian winery Jip Jip Rocks.

ALMR slams Labour's drink proposals

Published: 15 October, 2008

The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has added its voice to the debate over a mandatory code of practice for the drinks trade, by branding the proposals "ridiculous" and "reckless". TextThe Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has added its voice to the debate over a mandatory code of practice for the drinks trade, by branding the proposals "ridiculous" and "reckless".

Casella plots European expansion for Yellow Tail

Published: 15 October, 2008

Casella Wines, makers of the popular Yellow Tail brand, has appointed a specialist wine sales and marketing agency in a bid to expand the volume of the brand's European sales.

White wine as good for your heart as red

Published: 15 October, 2008

A new study has shown that white wine might be just as good for your heart as red.

SAB Miller reports rise in beer sales

Published: 14 October, 2008

SAB Miller, the world's third largest brewer, said that beer sales increased slightly in the first half of its financial year because rising demand in emerging markets offset falling sales from US and South African buyers.

Yali wine shortlisted for Asda sponsored green award

Published: 14 October, 2008

Chilean producer Viña Ventisquero has been announced as the only wine company to reach the finals of this year's Green Awards.

WSTA rejects Labour proposals for mandatory industry code

Published: 14 October, 2008

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has publicly rejected Labour's proposals for a new mandatory code of practice for the drinks trade, saying that more legislation is not the way to tackle the UK's binge drink problem.

Absolut Vodka sues Absolute Radio

Published: 14 October, 2008

Vin & Sprit (V&S), owners of premier Swedish vodka brand Absolute Vodka is suing Absolute Radio, the rebranded Virgin Radio, over what it claims is trademark infringement.

Chilean winery sets sights on European duty free market

Published: 14 October, 2008

Chilean winery Viña Undurraga has teamed up with travel retail specialist The World of Patria to target the travel retail and duty free markets in Europe and the Middle East.

Licensing Act is failing, police warn MPs

Published: 14 October, 2008

The Police Federation will today tell the government that its Licensing Act is failing to encourage more responsible attitudes to alcohol or reduce drink-related crime.

Wines in the Press: Malbec, Muscadet and wines in the desert

Published: 14 October, 2008

This week Jane MacQuitty assesses the future of Oddbins, Victoria Moore goes back to her roots and Jonny Beardsall takes a trip to the Namib desert to meet a remarkable winemaker. Meanwhile Joanna Simon is surprised by the following on new website thewinegang.com.