Top Ten online news stories for the quarter by Alana House

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Top 10 in under 10 minutes

HERE’S A ROUND-UP OF THE LATEST NEWS STORIES TRENDING ONLINE. VISIT WWW.DRINKSTRADE.COM.AU FOR DAILY DRINKS INDUSTRY UPDATES.

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1. WHY EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT ALCOHOLIC SELTZER

Alcoholic seltzer is the hottest thing in drinks right now – it’s recorded $1.1billion in sales in the US in the last 12 months and seen 200% growth.

It’s also regarded as a huge threat to beer – according to Nielsen its share of the beer market has hit 5.1% in the past 13 weeks.

While Australian drinks manufacturers have been keeping a close eye on the innovation, they’ve hesitated to put their toe in the water, potentially since “selzter” isn’t a household term for beverages here.

However, brewer Lion pounced on the trend by releasing Quincy on November 1.

2. AUSTRALIA’S TOP 10 CHAMPAGNE LOVING SUBURBS

Sunshine Coast residents bought more Champagne than any other suburb in Australia in the last 12 months.

According to new sales data from wine retailer Cellarmasters, the Queensland suburb of Buderim knocked Mosman off the top position on Australia’s Top 10 Champagne suburbs list.

3. ASAHI RELEASES FIRST EASY DRINKING BEER - TWO-SUNS

Asahi Premium Beverages launched its first easy drinking beer in Australia in September, called Two Suns Premium Dry.

Two Suns unique brewing collaboration, between two passionate brewers, Geoff Day from Australia and Yosuke Tajika from Japan, introduces a premium, low bitterness and lower carb option to the easy drinking category and is made in Australia with 100% Australian malt and wheat, using precise Japanese brewing techniques.

Two Suns enters the market at a time when data shows that Australians are changing their beer preferences from classic beers to lighter, more refreshing options.

4. IS THIS THE FUTURE OF WHISKY COCKTAILS?

Pernod Ricard sent social media into meltdown with its latest whisky innovation – a ‘Capsule Collection’ of glassless The Glenlivet single malt whisky cocktails.

Launched during London Cocktail Week in partnership with cocktail legend Alex Kratena, the limited-edition The Glenlivet ‘Capsule Collection’ is a range of whisky cocktails served in a seaweed-extract casing, one of nature’s most renewable resources.

A first of its kind for a spirit brand, the edible capsules are 23ml in size and fully biodegradable. They are popped in the mouth for an “instant burst of flavour”, and the capsule is simply swallowed. There is no need for a glass, ice or cocktail stirrer.

5. ACCC HOLDS UP IN CARLTON AND UNITED TAKEOVER

The ACCC halted its proceedings in its consideration of the $16 billion Asahi takeover of Carlton & United Breweries at the end of September.

The competition watchdog had been due to deliver its verdict on October 31, but has since extended its decision date until December 5.

The case was put on hold on September 30 while the ACCC awaited further information from Asahi.

Asahi currently has a 3.5% share of the Australian market, with the deal giving it just over 50% of the market. The next nearest competitor is Lion at 37%.

According to The Australian, the ACCC’s main concern with the deal is “its impact in creating barriers to entry of new boutique breweries”.

6. SYDNEY BAR TO ALLOW PATRONS TO DRINK NUDE

Sydney’s Stitch Bar held a one-off event in October where its patrons were permitted to drink nude for the night.

“Bottoms Up Sydney” was hosted in conjunction with The Young Nudists of Australia (YNA).

YNA was inspired by similar concepts around the world, such London’s Coach & Horses becoming the first pub in the city to be granted a nudist licence in May.

7. DRINKS INDUSTRY SHAKE-UP: EXECUTIVE RESHUFFLES ACROSS THE BUSINESS

It’s been a year for huge change in the Australian drinks industry as a dramatic changing of the guard takes place.

Treasury Wine Estates shocked the market with the announcement that Michael Clarke intends to retire from the role of

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Managing Director and CEO in the first quarter of fiscal 2021.

Tim Ford, the company’s Chief Operating Officer, will be appointed to the role of CEO, effective from the retirement of Clarke.

Tim Ford replaced COO Robert Foye earlier this year after he was dismissed for breaching internal policies.

Angus McPherson was recently appointed as TWE Managing Director, ANZ & Europe, as President – Americas and Global Sales, replacing Victoria Snyder; while Angus Lilley replaced Michelle Terry as Global CMO.

Asia Managing Director Peter Dixon also left the company for competitor Accolade Wines and was replaced by Tom King as North Asia MD.

Speaking of Accolade Wines, Diageo Australia’s Commercial Director Andrew Clarke was appointed Regional Managing Director, ANZ – Accolade Wines, last month.

He will commence with the business early in 2020 and will also become a member of the Executive Leadership Team.

Elsewhere in the wine category of the drinks industry, Australian Vintage Limited announced in July that Craig Garvin will replace Neil McGuigan as its CEO.

Garvin will take-up the position of CEO when McGuigan formerly steps down after the company’s AGM on November 20, 2019.

Over at Coca-Cola Amatil, it was announced that Alcohol & Coffee MD Shane Richardson was leaving the business as part of major changes to its organisational structure.

The Australian-based Alcohol and Coffee portfolios joined the Australian Beverages team under the leadership of Peter West.

The drinks industry overhaul isn’t restricted to suppliers. Coles has appointed British supermarket veteran Darren Blackhurst as Coles Liquor Chief Executive. Blackhurst’s most recent role was as Group Commercial Director of Morrisons in the UK.

Dan Murphy’s has hired one of Coles’ top executives as its new managing director, Alex Freudmann. Freudmann has 20 years experience in the retail industry, having led customer-focused change in both the Australian and the UK markets. He had worked for Coles for the last 10 years, and for Tesco in the UK for six years before that.

Over at BWS, Woolworths Group has appointed Scott Davidson as General Manager.

And Metcash Liquor’s new CEO Chris Baddock finally moved into his new role this year, after leaving his position as Director of Pinnacle and Direct, part of Endeavour Drinks.

8. RED BLEND WINS JIMMY WATSON TROPHY FOR FIRST TIME IN 11 YEARS

South Australia’s Bleasdale Vineyards’ 2018 The Wild Fig S.G.M was awarded the Jimmy Watson Trophy for Best Young Red at the 2019 Royal Melbourne Wine Awards.

The Wild Fig S.G.M is a blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre sourced from Langhorne Creek and produced by Bleasdale Vineyards Winemaker Paul Hotker. It’s the first time a blend has taken home the Jimmy Watson Trophy since 2008.

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9. AUSTRALIA’S FIVE BEST PUB MEALS REVEALED

After a month-long search, Australia’s five best pub meals were revealed as

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part of Yak Brewing’s The Hungry Yak campaign.

The five winners and the nation’s newly appointed best pub meals are: • Best Pub Fish & Chips – Richard Slarp,

Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel (Watsons

Bay, NSW) • Best Pub Chicken Parmigiana – Sabin

Maharjan, The Birmingham Hotel (Fitzroy, VIC) • Best Pub Steak – Beat Ettlin, The Royal

Hotel Queanbeyan (Queanbeyan, ACT) • Best Pub Burger – Megan McCulloch,

The Henson (Marrickville, NSW) – above is the beef burger, but it was the halloumi burger that took out top honours! • Best Pub Pork Ribs – Brenton Philp, The

Pier Bar (Cairns, QLD)

10. HEADING: MUMM UNVEILS JAW-DROPPING MELBOURNE CUP MARQUEE

Pernod Ricard dazzled again with its Mumm marquee for the Melbourne Cup Carnival, launching the Maison Mumm Hotel experience.

The marquee was transformed into the first ‘boutique hotel’ in The Birdcage and the brand opened up the RSRV collection via a secret tasting room inside the marquee. Pernod Ricard took inspiration from the home of Mumm Champagne in Reims and channelled some of the world’s leading hotels and retail boutiques with the signature Mumm avant garde personality.

This year’s marquee took 320 hours to build with more than 25 event designers, stylists, builders, engineers and industrial designers working behind the scenes to bring it together.

It welcomed 1200 visitors over four days and more than 10,000 glasses of champagne were consumed with 14,000 canapes.