Tennent’s owner C&C Group has reported a slip in sales for the six months to August 31. The company said in a trading statement today that H1 sales are expected to be €870 million – down 1% on the prior year period. Operating profit for H1 is expected to be in the range of €29-€31 million and includes the “significant majority” of the one-off profit…

Heineken UK has acquired a significant minority stake in Served, the ready-to-drink brand co-owned by Ellie Goulding. The deal, for an undisclosed sum, sees Heineken expand its portfolio beyond beer and cider.   Served was created by brothers Dean and Ryan Ginsberg, and Ellie Goulding in 2020, and initially appeared in the hard seltzer segment. The range includes ready-to-drink cocktails and hard seltzers and…

Results for the International Beer Challenge (IBC) 2023 have been revealed, with Kross 110 Minutos by Chile’s Cervecería Kross winning Supreme Champion for Best Ale above 5% in the taste awards. This year’s competition saw entries from 30 countries, with 40 entrants winning gold medals. A further 130 beers won silver medals, while 188 won bronze. Elsewhere, AB-Inbev Hoegaarden was crowned Supreme Champion Brewer, while…

William Grant & Sons has bought Surrey-based Silent Pool Distillers. The acquisition, for an undisclosed sum, sees Silent Pool gin join William Grant’s portfolio, which also includes Hendrick’s. The company said production will remain at Silent Pool Distillers, while William Grant & Sons will act as Silent Pool gin’s global supply chain and distribution partner, “helping to expand the brand’s presence across Europe, North America…

Former Bidendum CEO Michael Saunders has been appointed CEO of Coterie Holdings. Saunders is set to assume the new role at Coterie, which is the holding company for Lay & Wheeler and Jera Wine, on January 1 2024. Saunders will be working alongside Coterie’s chair, Chris Robinson, the former group CFO of Berry Bros & Rudd. He first joined Bidendum in 1983,…

The trade organisation for France’s Languedoc appellation has launched a new campaign, as it looks to simplify the message around the region’s wines and attract new consumers. “The core of the identity is based on vibration,” said Olivier Legrand, director general of marketing for the Conseil Interprofessional des Vins du Languedoc. “Everything is based on a vibration – the colour, the sounds, the smells. Vibration…

Birmingham-based retailer Loki Wine has announced a new wine subscription service, featuring bottles not yet available in the Loki stores. Customers can subscribe to receive either six or 12 bottles per month, which are selected by Loki Wine founder and managing director, Phil Innes, and the Loki team. Boxes will be delivered directly to customers with free shipping. As part of the…