USA: Sazerac acquires ready-to-drink cocktail brand BuzzBallz
Global spirits company Sazerac has announced it has signed an agreement to acquire BuzzBallz, a US ready-to-drink cocktail brand, for an undisclosed sum. Founded in 2009 by Merilee Kick, BuzzBallz is described as a woman-led and family-operated distillery, winery and brewery, renowned for its spherically-shaped RTD cocktails. BuzzBallz’s portfolio also includes includes brands such as […]
Tradeshow Insight: Alimentaria 2024
For four days this March, Barcelona became the focus of attention for the global food and drink industry as the city’s Fira Barcelona played host to the latest edition of Alimentaria and its co-located show Hostelco. Proclaimed the most global edition to date, with 900 of the 3,200 exhibitors hailing from outside Spain, Alimentaria&Hostelco 2024 saw […]
Canada: 7UP brand enters alcoholic drinks via vodka cocktail launch
Labatt Breweries, a leading Canadian drinks company, has announced the entry of the 7UP soft drinks brand into the alcoholic drinks space with the launch of SVNS Hard 7UP, a ready-todrink cocktail that is said to combine the lemon-lime flavour of PepsiCo’s 7Up with vodka-based alcohol. Designed to capture the attention and preferences of the […]
Local provenance increasingly anchoring food and drink positioning
Insight by Gama Compass MANCHESTER – 14th March 2024: In this month’s Insight By Gama Compass, we turn our gaze towards the trend among FMCG suppliers and retailers to tout the use of locally-sourced and traceable ingredients, and explore some of the reasons why provenance is increasingly moving to ‘centre-of-pack’ when it comes to brand messaging. In particular, […]
UK: Asahi closes Greenwich brewery
Japanese brewer Asahi has announced plans to close a brewery in Greenwich, London that produces the Meantime and Dark Star beer ranges, with production transferred to the Fuller’s site in west London. According to reports, the Greenwich site will be retained but converted into a “standalone” consumer retail experience. In 2022, Asahi closed the Dark […]
UK: Aldi launches wine in cardboard bottles
Aldi, the German retail giant, has announced the launch of what it claims to be the UK’s first supermarket own-brand wine sold in paperboard bottles. The bottles utilize Frugalpac’s Frugal Bottles technology, described as being produced from 94% recycled paperboard with a food-grade pouch housing the wine. The packaging is said to be fully recyclable […]
Australia: Australian Vintage and Accolade Wines in merger talks
Accolade Wines, one of the world’s largest wine companies, has entered into early merger discussions with peer Australian Vintage (AVG), the producer of the McGuigan and Tempus Two brands, according to The Australian Financial Review and The Shout reports. “AVG confirms it is in exploratory discussions with Accolade, however these discussions are still at a […]
USA: Heritage Distilling Company acquires Thinking Tree Spirits
Heritage Distilling Company (HDC), a craft distillery based in the US, has announced the acquisition of local peer Thinking Tree Spirits for an undisclosed sum. Thinking Tree Spirits was founded in Eugene, OR in 2014 and is described as an award-winning, women-led, farm-to-flask, Oregon grown house of brands. As a result of the transaction, HDC […]
Chile: Vina Concha y Toro expands in spirits with Malpaso acquisition
Leading Chilean wine firm Vina Concha y Toro has announced the acquisition of Malpaso, a key producer of the fermented grape-juice spirit pisco, as it seeks to bolster its presence in the premium spirits category. In a press release, the company said it had been distributing Malpaso for 15 years, and noted the brand had […]
UK: Innovatus Drinks acquires spirit brand Sollasa
Innovatus Drinks, the UK spirits company known for brands such as Horse Guards Gin, Barentsz Gin, Pedrino Spritz and Wing Walker Rum, has added to its portfolio with the acquisition of spirit-based aperitif Sollasa for an undisclosed sum. Launched in 2021, Sollasa is described as a light refreshing spirit with a blend of Indian-inspired flavours […]