Breaking News on Beverage Technology & Markets

Grands Chais riding the French wine storm

As chunks of the French wine industry descend into chaos, one family firm is standing tall, proudly talking of a strong sales rise based on clever marketing tactics that producers worldwide could learn from.

WILD extends exotics for flavoured water market

Drinks makers looking for gains in the vibrant flavoured water market could opt for new additions to WILD's exotic natural fruit range, says the German flavour firm.

European researchers discover 'perfect glass'

European researchers claim they have moved closer to creating a clearer, more durable glass, a breakthrough that could help companies present their food products in a high-quality package, report Simon Pitman and Ahmed ElAmin.

Monday comment

Whining about wine

France is a fading power in the world of wine. And will continue to be, until it turns its face towards a globe where consumers buy what they know.

French militants attack foreign wine supply

Masked militants decimated a wine distillery in southern France only hours after thousands of vintners protested through the streets of Nimes over the intense pressure on the French wine industry, reports Chris Mercer from Nimes.

Round-up: Foster's reels in Southcorp

Foster's has Aussie firm Southcorp in the palm of its hand after increasing its stake in the wine company to more than 90 per cent, reports Chris Mercer.

MEPs back pro-industry amendments to health claims law

The European Parliament voted yesterday to radically modify the proposed regulation on nutrition and health claims so that food companies do not need to gain prior authorization for claims, nor subject their healtlh products to nutrient profiling, reports Dominique Patton.

Grape powder cuts atherosclerosis in animal study

Eating fresh grapes may prevent the accumulation of oxidized cholesterol as well as the development of atherosclerotic lesions, report scientists in Israel.

Drink to boost circulation to launch in UK

A tomato-based drink, thought to be the first to food to claim that it benefits the heart and circulation, is set to reach the UK market this year, writes Dominique Patton.

EU considers regulation of vitamin, mineral additives

Proposals to create a list of about 100 vitamins and mineral substances that may be added to foods are being debated in the European Parliament today, part of the long process of harmonising food legislation in the bloc, reports Ahmed ElAmin.

New colourant launched for bottle caps

Milliken's ClearTint polymeric colourants for polypropylene (PP) aims to put some life into bottle caps.

O-I launches new barrier seal

Owens-Illinois Closure Inc. (O-I) has launched a barrier seal that it claims will help extend the shelf life for products such as fruit juices, smoothies, dairyand soy products, and meal replacements.

Amcor launches flexible beverage pack

Amcor Flexibles has launched Amcor AquaFlexCan, a new typeof flexible beverage pack for non-carbonated water, reports Ahmed ElAmin.

Coca-Cola hit by strike at bottling and distributing plants

Teamsters unions at seven Coca-Cola bottling anddistribution facilities in Connecticut and the Los Angeles area in US plan to continue their strike today over wages and health care benefits, reports Ahmed ElAmin.

Monday comment

Time for a fair trade

The UK government must introduce a compulsory new supermarket code ofconduct if it is to make up for past mistakes and save the food industryfrom a spiral into anti-competitive practices.

W&DB rises as UK beer hits tough times

Acquisitions have helped Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries to a solid sales rise in the UK, the country recently named as one of the world's toughest beer markets by Goldman Sachs, reports Chris Mercer.

Grape extract process taps the health drinks sector

A patented grape seed extraction process shows how mainstream beverage makers can increasingly take advantage of the growing niche market for health drinks, writes Anthony Fletcher.

Miller Lite outshines US beer gloom

SABMiller, buoyed by strong results in South Africa and Eastern Europe, said a solid performance from Miller Lite also helped it to hold off the black clouds hovering over America's beer sector, despite warning of tough trading ahead, reports Chris Mercer.

Speciality and herbal teas to drive growth in flagging market

Tea makers looking to bolster flagging sales should turn to speciality and herbal teas with new research revealing these two categories are flying off the shelves, grabbing market share away from traditional tea products, reports Lindsey Partos.

Australia teaches Old World how to sell wine

The Australian wine industry says it has launched its most important global marketing campaign for 15 years following production increases and tough market conditions - leaving the Old World to take notes, reports Chris Mercer.

US court kills wine shipping ban

The US Supreme Court has ruled that all consumers should be able to buy wine directly from out-of-state vineyards, offering smaller producers greater access to the market by diversifying selling channels, reports Chris Mercer.

R&D spending to stagnate in Europe?

The first ever survey of research and development (R&D) personnel across all industrial sectors in Europe reveals most participants predict there will be little change in their companies' R&D investment levels over the next five years, and perhaps even a slight decrease, reports CORDIS.

Mechanism for green tea's anti-cancer action revealed

Green tea appears to protect against cancer by affecting a 'promiscuous' protein that pharmaceutical experts are already targeting in their work on anti-cancer drugs, according to new research.

Occasional drink raises cancer risk in postmenopausal women?

Postmenopausal women who consume even moderate amounts of alcohol may face an increased risk of breast cancer, say US researchers, particularly if their cancer is fuelled by the hormones estrogen or progesterone.

Round-up: Foster's captures Southcorp for 'brand Australia'

Foster's looks set to finally swallow fellow Aussie wine firm Southcorp after taking a 50.9 per cent voting majority. Elsewhere, the Constellation consortium appears to be struggling to get the cash for an offer for Allied Domecq and consolidation in Canadian wine as Andres buys Cascadia.

Drinking damages women's brains faster than men

Women again the focus of a study on drinking, with new research suggesting they are far more vulnerable to alcohol-related brain damage than men.

Global drinks player targets buoyant Indian market

International drinks supplier Brown-Forman embarks on new opportunities in the increasingly affluent Indian society, targeting the beverages market with the launch of its fruit flavoured Finlandia brand of 'luxury' vodka.

Sidel helps Milliken develop PP bottling technology

Milliken Chemical has installed a Sidel, Series 2, SBO4 machine at its R&D centre in support of its research into injection stretch blow moulded clarified polypropylene (ISBM cPP).

Organic juice market maintains strong double digit growth

Private label organic juices are boosting sales volumes, helping to propel the organic juice sales in North America to increase by a considerable 21.4 per cent in 2005, claims UK market analysts Organic Monitor.

Australia attacks juice health claims

Allegations that Australia's booming fruit juice industry is misleading consumers by exaggerating health claims will be investigated by the country's competition watchdog, as the juice world looks on, reports Chris Mercer.

Carlsberg hit by shrinking Western beer market

Falling beer markets across Western Europe have claimed Carlsberg as their latest victim, handing the Danish brewer heavy losses in its first quarter despite strong performances in Russia and Asia, reports Chris Mercer.

Children should reject soft drinks to stay healthy

Children should be consuming more nutrient rich beverages and less soft drinks to stem the wave of childhood obesity, said US researchers this month.

Cost-saving insulation promises a greener future

A new environmentally friendly form of insulation for packaging and freezing applications provides between five and seven times the insulation capacity over current technologies, writes Anthony Fletcher.

Milliken boasts benefits of PP beverage packaging

Recent technical developments in resin formulation and the design of pre-forms has allowed the beverage industry to use clarified PP in the same way as PET.

Young women crucial to drinks sector growth

There will be fewer young adults around for alcoholic drink firms to target over the next five years but those that are will drink more and be more demanding, with women the driving force, reports Chris Mercer.

Cognis offers new plant extracts for functional foods and beverages

German health ingredients firm Cognis Nutrition & Health will introduce a new range of high quality plant extracts for foods and beverages at Vitafoods, the industry show opening in Geneva tomorrow.

Pomegranate gets juiced by leading producer

Fruit juice maker Old Orchard is once again making the most of recent health research pertaining to various fruits, adding a blueberry-pomegranate option to its range.

Drinking ban threatens Russian beer growth

Two of the world's biggest brewers have announced plans to expand in Russia, yet competition will intensify as an outdoor drinking ban and slow economic progress threaten the market's blistering growth, writes Chris Mercer.

Tetra Pak targets convenience with new carton closure

Tetra Pak has launched a range of direct injection moulded closures for gable-top cartons that it believes taps into current consumer concerns for safety, convenience and style.

Soft drink makers to limit heavy metals, says EFSA panel

Europe's food watchdog concludes soft drink makers should propose limits for heavy metals and aromatic hydrocarbons used as carrier solvents for flavouring preparations in soft drinks.

Pepsi invades Europe's juice sector

PespiCo has thrust further into Europe's strongly emerging juice market through German firm Punica as the scramble to get ahead in healthy soft drinks sector intensifies, reports Chris Mercer.

Private equity firm snaps up Selig Sealing Products

US private equity investment firm Behrman Capital, has acquired Selig Sealing Products, its second speciality packaging acquisition in six months.

Coca-Cola to test functional citrus drinks

Opportunities are flourishing for flavour suppliers targeting health-positioned drinks as number one soft drinks firm Coca-Cola says it will push R&D investment in health positioned products.

Domecq update: Shares fly as bid battle awaits

Allied Domecq's share price soared to 693p after talks with Constellation Brands fuelled speculation of a bidding war with Pernod Ricard, reports Chris Mercer.

Bioplastics event signals dawning of new packaging era

Bioplastics trade association IBAW claims that the inaugural special exhibition Bioplastics in Packaging was a major success at Interpack 2005.

Craft beer flies as Anheuser falters

Falling beer sales in the US have left big brewers like Anheuser Busch banking on new products and better marketing to revitalise growth as small-time craft beers go from strength to strength, writes Chris Mercer.

Anheuser strikes back in Budvar battle

Anheuser Busch has won the right to sell 'Bud' beer in Austria in its latest court tussle with Czech brewer Budejovicky Budvar, as firms looking to protect Geographic Indicators a forced to raise their game, reports Chris Mercer.

France to chop vineyards for EU crisis distillation

An EU Commission committee has promised extra money to help French wine makers distil more than a million hectolitres of quality wine into undrinkable industrial alcohol after the French government promised to rip up vines and make structural changes across the sector, reports Chris Mercer.