Breaking News on Beverage Technology & Markets

Slovenia backs EU plans to drain wine lake

As French, Italian and Spanish winemakers debate life without wine lakes, producers in one of Europe's smallest wine nations say they should not foot the bill for others' mistakes.

Constellation laps up US drinks trend

Branded wines and imported beer in the US steered Constellation Brands to a record first quarter sales growth, revealing how the firm is sitting at the centre of American drinking trends.

Chr. Hansen wins natural colour patent case

Danish company, Chr. Hansen has announced that it has won a patent case to protect its natural LiquidCap colour, a result that protects not only Chr. Hansen but also the customers, said the company.

Foster's to sell off wine houses

Australian beer and wine group Foster's has said it will sell off one French and two Australian wineries as part of its plan to integrate the Southcorp wine business.

Big brands lift Diageo sales

Blockbuster brands helped the world's largest alcoholic drinks firm, Diageo, to a six per cent sales rise over the last year, but trading in Europe remains tough.

Diploma courses to boost skills levels in UK food sector

Specialised diploma courses for various manufacturing segments of the food industry will be created in the UK, part of a bid to increase the skills levels in the industry.

Vodka war splits EU

Squabbling over what ingredients can be used to make true vodka threatens to hold up European Commission proposals to tighten the definition of spirit drinks.

Cereal drinks not a milk alternative, says FSANZ

Cereal-based beverages, such as those made from rice and oats, are not suitable as a complete milk replacement for young children, said the Australian and New Zealand food authorities today.

Software speeds up plastic bottle design, company claims

A Singapore-based company has created new software it claims will speed up the process of designing plastic bottles.

Decaf coffee could protect against type-2 diabetes

Drinking six or more cups of coffee every day could reduce the risk of developing type-2 diabetes by more than 20 per cent, says a new US study.

Could hemp be the hot new healthy ingredient?

The health-enhancing properties of hemp have come under the spotlight this month with the launch of a drink containing hemp-blossom syrup (Cannabis sativa) in the UK, which is also being tested by multiple sclerosis sufferers for its potential to alleviate lag pain and spasms.

Britvic hit by Ecuador passion fruit shortage

Severe shortages of passion fruit supplies from Ecuador threaten to disrupt food and drink firms, as Britvic says it will pull its J2O Orange and Passionfruit drink from shop shelves in Britain this summer.

Aluminium found effective for treating natural waters

The use of aluminium oxide is an effective and safe method for the removal of fluoride from natural mineral waters, an EU scientific body has concluded.

Coors UK launches below freezing beer

A new lager served at below freezing temperature, developed by beer firm Coors, looks to target an emerging trend for colder beer on the troublesome UK beer market.

France hits out at EU wine reform

Commission plans to sort out Europe's ailing wine sector hit their first road block within hours of being unveiled, after the French government rejected key proposals as too destructive.

Wild launches natural yellow food colour

Wild and Vitanene have developed a biotechnologically-derived natural beta-carotene food colour designed to help food makers formulate clean-label products.

Commission to unveil EU wine reform plans

The explosive debate on what to do about Europe's troubled wine sector will begin in earnest today as the European Commission outlines several options for member countries.

Cherry juice may reduce exercise-induced muscle pain

Drinking cherry juice could reduce the pain and damage in muscles induced by exercise, says a small intervention study from the US.

Danisco develops innovative sports drink concepts

Danisco flavourists have created a range of sports drink concepts using their water-soluble citrus flavours and fortified with healthy ingredients to appeal to the growing number of sports beverage makers in Asia.

Beer extract could protect against prostate cancer

The flavonoid xanthohumol found in hops could help prevent prostate cancer, but the scientists suggest supplements rather than beer for exploiting the potential benefits.

New hops promise tastier beer

A new generation of hops for beer is being developed by researchers in New Zealand, as the brewing industry looks to science to help it catch up with changing consumer tastes.

Fine wine sales fuel Majestic expansion

Britain's biggest wine warehouse Majestic Wines said growth in the premium wine market brought a 10.7 per cent increase in year end operating profit, encouraging the firm to expand its UK shop base.

Weekly comment

Litigation: a necessary cost of doing business?

In the US, the role of court action in defining limits not set by regulators is generating a flood of costly court cases for the food industry: much unnecessary, and all damaging.

FAU challenges FSA's call for junk food ad ban

The Food Advertising Unit (FAU) has challenged the FSA's call for a pre-watershed (9pm) ban on food and drink advertising, saying such calls are "disproportionate".

Rectangular bottle targeted at hot fill beverages

A rectangular polyethylene terephthalate (PET) container for hot fill beverages offers increased strength and packs at a greater density, claims its manufacturer.

World Cup accelerates at-home drinking trend

More than one in three Brits will watch the England match at home today, driving demand for off-trade alcohol as armchair fans reach for a can.

Mechanism of grape juice's cholesterol benefits proposed

Scientists from Spain have reported that they have identified how grape juice polyphenols help reduce bad cholesterol levels, science that could extend understanding of a product that is enjoying increasing consumer awareness.

FSA 'disappointed' at junk food ad proposals

The UK's FSA has expressed 'disappointment' at Ofcom's proposals on junk food advertising to kids, arguing that they are an insufficient response to the problem posed to children's health.

Coffee supplies forecast to recover this year

World coffee production over the next year will rise by nearly ten per cent, or nearly 11 million bags, over the previous year, fuelling a rising demand for the brew, according to a forecast report.

Hot Queensland summer boosts beverage, frozen dessert sales

Sales of sparkling juices, bottled water and flavoured milk soared in Queensland this summer, as the Australian state experienced one of the longest and hottest summers on record.

Foster's sells last Chinese brewery

Australian wine and beer group Foster's has sold its last Chinese brewery to Japan's Suntory, it revealed today, allowing it to exit the tough market after 13 years without profits.

Wild to develop aseptic pouch filling centre in Italy

Wild has acquired an Italy-based machine manufacturer and plans to leverage the purchase by developing a new plant for the aseptic filling of spouted pouches.

Budweiser maker sued for incomplete rights to ad music

US beer firm Anheuser-Busch has been slapped with a lawsuit for using a song in its commercials for which it had paid rights to the record company alone, and not to the rock band that created the song.

Baltic Beverages enters Uzbekistan market

Baltic Beverages Holding (BBH) will invest in a new brewery in Tashkent, describing the move as part of the company's strategy of entering into emerging markets.

Beverage makers urged to test for benzene

Australian beverage makers are being asked to review existing products and new formulations to minimize the presence of benzene, a carcinogenic chemical recently identified at levels several times the WHO guideline in some US and UK beverage brands.

Two diet drinks withdrawn in Ireland due to benzene

Manufacturers in Ireland have recalled two diet drinks from the market, after testing by the country's food regulator found high levels of the cancer-causing chemical in their products.

Weekly comment

Healthy food and the World Cup of missed opportunity

Beer, bakery, confectionery, sweet drinks, pizzas, snacks galore, and even dog food. The list of products with World Cup tie-ins is dominated by junk food, while healthy food makers seem content to pass up the marketing opportunities and let others grow fat on the rewards.

Synthetic greases meet food contact standards

A line of synthetic lubricating greases can be used on equipment where possible contact with food products may occur, its manufacturer claims.

Women drinking at home target of alcoholic beverage market

Women drinking at home make up the biggest growth opportunity in the UK's alcoholic beverages market, according to the latest Datamonitor forecast.

World Cup sparks beer war

A World Cup beer bonanza is underway in supermarkets across the UK as leading retailers slash prices to under 50p per can to tempt armchair fans.

Companies aim to score big at World Cup

If hell freezes over and Australia wins football's World Cup, then Scottish & Newcastle will be on the hook for splashing out a lot of Foster's beer in Germany.

Roquette targets sugar-free beverages with Nutriose

Roquette's marketing manager for beverage applications explains the difficulties of formulating tasty sugar-free syrup drinks and why she thinks her company has cracked it.

Machine targets growing demand for single serve creamers

A new aseptic packaging machine is designed to target what the manufacturer says is a growing demand for single serve coffee creamers.

Ofcom under pressure over junk food ads

The UK advertising regulator Ofcom is under pressure to reconsider its rejection of a 9pm watershed ban on junk food advertising, according to a UK newspaper.

EU throws more crisis distillation funds at wine sector

France will again get European Union money to turn 150m litres of quality wine into unusable, industrial alcohol, as the Commission promises to clean out Europe's wine lake once and for all.

Oil costs hit Cadbury Schweppes margins

Rising oil prices are likely to make Cadbury Schweppes miss its targets for profit margin growth this year, despite sales rises across most of the business, the group said.

Financial roundup

Alcoholic drinks movers and shakers

India's frustration with the Taittinger Champagne sale, Constellation Brands' final play for Vincor and Diageo's move up the ratings hit the list.

Coca-Cola cuts greenhouse gas emissions in fridges

Coca-Cola said nearly all of its new refrigeration equipment for sales and marketing will work without puffing out powerful greenhouse gases, as the group jumps aboard the trend for sustainable production.

New DSM pectinase claims higher berry juice yields

DSM Food Specialties has launched a new pectinase for red berry processing, which it claims will help manufacturers achieve higher juice yields and stable colour when processing acid red berries.

Brewer uses nanotech coating on heat interchanger

Nanotechnology, the science of the very small, has been employed as a microscopic coating on a heat interchanger used by a Corona brewing plant in Mexico.

Rexam to build new beverage can plant as supplies tighten

Rexam is putting new beverage can capacity on the market, as it strengthens its relationship with Red Bull by building a new wall-to-wall plant in Austria.

Kirin set to grab share of Thai green tea boom

Japan's Kirin is readying to enter Thailand's booming green tea sector, through a new joint venture with Thailand's Osotspa, according to a report.

Radioactive waste threatens Champagne vineyards

The re-opening of a radioactive waste dump in France's Champagne region, recently shut for safety reasons, threatens to contaminate the area's famous vineyards, says campaigns group Greenpeace.

Britvic eyes Europe drinks expansion

Britvic is looking to increase its presence in several markets across Western Europe as part of a push to grow its international soft drinks business, BeverageDaily.com has learnt.