Issue 30 | December

Dear Drinks Executive,
 
Welcome to the December issue of Global Drinks Intel.
 
In keeping with the holiday season, we focus on festive drinks this month. Amy Hopkins speaks with a range of retail buyers to see what the key consumer shifts and gifting initiatives are this key selling season. This is complimented by CGA’s Charlie Mitchell, who looks behind the data to predict the trends most likely to impact the global on-premise these holidays.
 
As part of our regular route-to-market coverage, we feature an exclusive interview with Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s Michael Demko on the group’s impressive modernisation moves and latest market developments.
 
In the market intelligence section, we speak with AB InBev’s innovation and investment incubator ZX Ventures about how they are spearheading the company’s moves beyond beer.  We also look at the vexing supply chain issue and find that it will likely last until the second half of 2022. There is also full coverage of Diageo’s Capital Markets Day and how they plan to accelerate growth through 2030.
 
Our international coverage takes us to India, where former Brown-Forman India executive Tim Young looks at the challenges of entering this highly complex market.
 
On the marketing front, Michael Scantlebury counterintuitively writes about why you shouldn’t always listen to consumers. CGA’s Charlie Mitchell explains that while the on-premise remains indisputably the key launchpad for new products, brand owners need to be more scientific in how they approach it if they are to break through. Maurice Doyle describes the challenges of refurbishing a brand and lists the questions that every company should ask themselves before such an undertaking.
 
On that subject, cream liqueurs, Armagnac, sherry and bitters are all undoubtedly at different stages of evolution and we look at how brands in these traditional categories are being revitalised. As part of our regular category coverage, we run with The IWSR’s excellent analysis of the dynamic RTD market.
 
We hope you enjoy the issue and wish you a happy holiday and best wishes for the new year.

For more information and contact please visit our website at: https://staging-drinks-intel-com.stackstaging.com/ 
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Best regards

 
Alexander Smith
Editor-in-Chief