Trends

The drink, despite overseas expansion, is still produced in Haiti. Image Source: 1001nights/Getty Images

Rhum Barbancourt: How a spirits brand weathers trials

By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Haitian rum brand Rhum Barbancourt has a long history on the island. Despite being set back by 2010’s earthquake, and in spite of the political instability that Haiti contests with currently, it is still expanding, taking its wares to the UK through a...

Pic:getty/nemkre

Ireland to ban TV alcohol ads before 9pm

By Rachel Arthur

Ireland will ban alcohol advertisements on TV before 9pm from 2025 in an effort to reduce children and young people’s exposure to alcohol products.

© vovashevchuk / Getty Images

Euromonitor predicts consumer trends for 2024

By Olivia Brown

Euromonitor International has published its 2024 consumer trends report, which spotlights new demands for convenient and effective wellness support, transparency around brand sustainability, and the implementation of AI to personalise the customer experience.

Plastic bottles' claims to be '100% recycled' and '100% recyclable' are misleading, according to BEUC. Image Source: Yagi Studio/Getty Images

Beverage giants in hot water over plastic bottle recycling claims

By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Environmental and consumer rights organisations are taking legal action against Nestlé, Danone, and The Coca-Cola Company, over recyclable claims made about their plastic bottles. They have raised an external alert to both the European Commission and...

Pic: getty/cienpies

Navigating the EU packaging legislation: key insights for sports foods businesses

By Luca Bucchini, Chairman, European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance (ESSNA)

Over the last few years, as part of the EU Green Deal, policy makers have focused their efforts on introducing a series of highly ambitious regulations that mean to bring sustainability to every step of the food chain. Among others, a legislative file...

Pic:getty/heshworker

How can the wine industry tackle staff shortages?

By Rachel Arthur

Staff shortages continue to create a ‘worldwide challenge’ for the wine industry: affecting the whole chain from vineyards to hotels and restaurants. With no signs of shortages abating, how can the industry adapt?

Rethinking bottled water could require a wholesale shift in business models. Pic:getty/blackjack3D

How brands can rethink the single use plastic water bottle

By Kathryn Jubrail, Partner, Mother Design

The challenges for plastic water bottles are clear: their environmental impact is leading to a consumer backlash and even potential regulatory restrictions. But the future isn’t about a few brands moving into alternative packaging formats: it’s about...

Getty | Dougal Waters

The anti-energy drinks trend: Who will be the Red Bull of relaxation?

By Olivia Brown

There has been a rising consumer demand for functional drinks promoting relaxation and wellbeing over boosting energy following the COVID-19 pandemic, but an expert says a ‘hero ingredient’ and ‘hero brand’ are needed to propel the category into the spotlight.

Pic:getty/lightfieldstudios

Guest article

Uncorking the dark side: How wine brands are embracing the allure of the macabre

By Rowena Curlewis, CEO, drinks design specialist Denomination

We love Halloween and the 'spooky season'. And up-and-coming wine brands are using our obsession with all things spooky to stand out from the crowd with their compelling brand stories and sinister tales. Rowena Curlewis, CEO of drinks design...

Used by waiters and bartenders, the tech can track top consumption times and places. Pic: Supplied by Coca-Cola

Wecheer wins Coca-Cola HBC’s start-up challenge

By Rachel Arthur

Bottle-as-a-Service platform and app Wecheer – whose patented ‘smart bottle opener’ can track every bottle opened to pinpoint the time, location and brand of consumption – has been named as the winner of Coca-Cola HBC’s €100k Start-Up Challenge.

Pic:Diageo

Diageo sells Windsor Global whisky

By Rachel Arthur

Diageo has signed and completed the sale of Windsor Global, a subsidiary of Diageo which owns the Windsor business and associated intellectual property, to Korean company PT W Co., Ltd.

From cocktails to calvados casks: How St-Rémy is keeping brandy booming

From cocktails to calvados casks: How St-Rémy is keeping brandy booming

By Rachel Arthur

St-Rémy – a proudly French brandy that’s enjoying global success – has revealed its latest limited edition: St-Rémy Finished in Calvados Casks. And this latest launch represents exactly what the House stands for: an intriguing blend of tradition and innovation,...

The RTD alcohol category is maturing - and evolving. Pic:getty/asbe

RTD alcohol category to hit $40bn by 2027

By Rachel Arthur

The RTD alcohol category is expected to grow by +12% in volume between 2022 and 2027, hitting $40bn by 2027 across 10 key markets, according to new data from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis. As the category matures, premiumization will be a key driver moving...

Speakers at the event in Japan House believe that sake has potential to appeal to a greater range of UK consumers. Image Source: Eriko Koga/Getty Images

The appeal of Japanese drinks to consumers in the UK and North America

By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Japanese drinks such as matcha and sake are being brought to ‘Western’ countries such as the UK and North American countries. Japanese sake is mostly drunk in restaurants the UK, although an event in Kensington, London stressed that it can be more versatile....

Beer accounts for the largest share of alcohol-free drinks sold in the UK. Pic: getty/humankg

England looks to change ‘alcohol-free’ definition

By Rachel Arthur

England currently considers an ‘alcohol-free’ drink as one containing less than 0.05% ABV – differing from a number of other countries that use 0.5% ABV as the definition. A public consultation is now seeking views on whether to raise the threshold for...

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