Breaking News on Beverage Technology & Markets

Cranberries may fight ulcer-causing bacteria in humans

Cranberry juice may enhance the power of antibiotics to clear the stomach of women of a bacteria known to cause ulcers and cancer, new research reports.

Changes brewing for beer behemoths

The global beer industry has been given a shake up this week, as some of its major players announced they were preparing further consolidation in response to a changing marketplace.

Fructose linked to fatty artery deposits, study says

Overweight males consuming fructose-sweetened drinks have a higher risk of developing fatty deposits in the arteries compared to those drinking products containing glucose, according to a new study.

Coca-Cola to launch lightweight bottle in UK

Coca-Cola is launching a lighter-weight bottle for its major brands in the UK, fulfilling a pledge to reduce the amount of packaging used for its products, the company said today.

South Korean strife set to continue for Diageo

Diageo's operations within the lucrative South Korean whisky market are facing further threats from ongoing investigations into its practices within the country, the company said today.

Weekly comment

Clinical trials - gold standard or white elephant?

Randomised clinical trials are the ultimate. Forget what the observational studies tell us, if the RCT gives us an answer it must be the final word, right? Wrong.

Balloting threatens Coca-Cola summer fizz

Coca-Cola faces serious disruption to one of its major European bottling plants as workers threaten a series of 24-hour strikes during the busy summer period.

Remy Cointreau restructuring plan pays dividends

Remy Cointreau today posted a 3.8 per cent organic growth in turnover to €785.9m for the financial year ended 31 March as the company's ongoing reorganisation begins to be felt.

Vin Expo

Screw cap on top wine highlights shift to convenience

A screw cap on one of the world's top wines highlights the growing trend toward customer convenience in the beverage market.

Alcohol promotions shot down under new reforms

The party could be over for manufacturers of alcoholic shots and shooters in the UK, as an industry body this week called time on any industry practices that promote rapid drinking.

New nano product protects plastic from sunlight

DuPont is about to release a product made using nanotechnology that will protect plastics from sunlight.

Danisco blames revenue dip on EU sugar reform

Danisco suffered a 3 per cent drop in revenue in the 12 months to 30 April, blaming the fall on the EU's decision to cut subsidies for sugar.

Diageo mulls Guinness move

The future for Guinness's historic Dublin-based production site seems as unclear this week as the popular beverage itself, after Diageo announced that it was reviewing the effectiveness of its production network in Ireland.

Absolut maker up for grabs in Swedish shake up

Vin & Spirit (V&S), manufacturer of Absolut vodka, is up for sale, following a vote yesterday by the Swedish parliament to sell of some of the country's state-owned firms.

Packages designed for convenience market

Two new paper-based tetrahedral packaging products for the convenience market are designed to dispense juices, or sauces and condiments.

EU welcomes vodka vote compromise

The outcome of a decisive EU parliamentary vote yesterday on a definition of vodka could eventually end the uncertainty in the beverage sector about a controversial labelling issue.

Cadbury Schweppes unwraps its confectionary strategies

Following talks in London today, Cadbury Schweppes has officially announced its new confectionery strategies, to be implemented following the separation of its drink division, Americas Beverages.

Heineken eyes regional growth with Czech purchase

Heineken has further extended its presence within the burgeoning beer markets of Central and Eastern Europe with its latest acquisition in the Czech Republic.

Weekly comment

A sobering thought for the alcohol industry

Much against my own better judgement, there are some issues it seems, where corporate social responsibility must really live up to its name and truly look after its consumers.

Britvic commit to green packaging pledge

Britvic announced Friday that it will commit to a UK-based scheme designed to cut packaging waste from its products as part of an agreement with the Waste & Resource Action Programme (WRAP).

Live at VinExpo

Economics and market trends guide buyers

Behind all the glasses of wine and spirits tasted here at one of the world's largest exhibitions in the trade, lies the hard economic facts.

Redesigned machines raise bottle filling speed bar

A redesigned range of blowing and filling machines has raised the speed bar to 61,200 bottles per hour, according to the manufacturer.

Cocoa's heart benefits given another boost

Consumption of the polyphenol-rich cocoa may cut cholesterol levels, says a new study from Japan that adds to the ever-growing body of science supporting the potential heart health benefits of chocolate.

The rise of functional water

It seems that mineral water just isn't healthy enough, as a growing number of manufacturers move to tap growing demand for H2O products that boast enhanced nutritional benefits.

Cadbury US beverage sale expected soon

A proposed 7.5bn sell off of Cadbury Schweppes US beverage operations could be imminent, according to press reports in the UK.

Soft drink industry defends additive labelling

The soft drinks industry has denied claims that its policy on additive labelling is failing to alert consumers to the possible risk of consuming its products.

Alcopops labeling bill moves to Senate

A bill requiring malt liquor beverages to feature warning labels and mark their alcohol content has passed to the State Senate in California.

Ukraine acquisition steps up PepsiCo regional focus

PepsiCo is to step up its presence in the burgeoning Eastern European soft drinks market by acquiring an 80 per cent stake in one of Ukraine's leading juice producers.

Rexam to buy Owens-Illinois plastics division

Rexam, the world's top maker of drink cans, said today it will buy the plastics plastics division of Owens-Illinois for US$1,565m (€1,170m) in cash.

EU forum mulls alcohol ad reform

European alcohol producers will come under increased pressure to amend the way they target consumers, with the formation of a new EU health forum late last week.

Coca-Cola announces Campbell's soup agreement

Coca-Cola will market Campbell's range of vegetable-based juice brands in North America as it moves to expand its presence in the non-carbonated drinks market.

UK Alcohol companies acting responsibly, says industry

UK alcohol manufacturers are pulling their weight in encouraging responsible drinking, an industry body has claimed this week.

Green tea drinking may halve the colorectal cancer risk

Regularly drinking antioxidant-rich green tea may halve the risk of colon and rectal cancer, suggests a new study based in China.

Buzz over Bud defies US beer malaise

Anheuser-Busch, brewer of Budweiser, could be set for an operational shake up as rivals and investment firms target it for a possible acquisition.

EU reveals Australian wine trade proposals

The EU has negotiated further safeguards for some of its most important trademarks like champagne and port, as part of proposed new wine trade reforms with Australia announced this week.

Cadbury set to cast off senior managers

Cadbury said yesterday it will restructure its activities in Britain and Ireland, resulting in the dismissal of several senior executives.

Heineken to fight back in EU cartel dispute

Heineken has appealed to the public in fighting against a €219m fine imposed by the EU for breaching the bloc's competition laws.

Coca-Cola reforms to tap water sustainability calls

Coca-Cola today pledged to overhaul how it uses water throughout its operations and bottling franchises in a drive for greater environmental sustainability.

Weekly comment

Could organic eat itself?

Just when organic food has begun to make a noticeable dent in the overall food market, air freighting - a measure that solves the segment's biggest current problem - is facing potential prohibition.

Child replica shirts stripped of alcohol sponsorship

The use of alcohol branding on children's replica shirts is to be red-carded, as the industry faces further restrictions on how it promotes its products.

Sudan threatens industry with gum arabic withdrawal

The Sudanese ambassador to the US has threatened to withdraw the supply of gum arabic, an emulsifier and stabiliser used by the food industry, in response to a pledge to impose sanctions to help bring an end to the bloodshed in Darfur.