ABInbev hopes to secure an early share of the UK’s alcoholic sparkling water market with the launch of a new brand via its ZX Ventures Lab. Mike’s Hard Sparkling Water, which will hit the UK later this month, is an alcoholic sparkling water with 5% abv and 99 calories per 33cl can. The producer hopes the UK can follow in the success of the alcoholic…

Suppliers have had their hopes raised of less one- sided relationships with the major supermarkets in the wake of the controversy over Tesco’s accounts. The groceries adjudicator has asked for the industry’s code of practice on retailer-supplier relations to be part of Tesco’s own review of the affair. The supermarket launched the investigation after a £250 million shortfall in profits came to light and it is…

Virgin Wines is to launch a gift business that it hopes will corner the market for wine presents. Chief executive Jay Wright told OLN: “When people want to send a bunch of flowers they think of Interflora, but no one owns the market in wine and Champagne. “Lots of people do it, but no one is really owning that part of the market. It is a huge…

The Co-operative Group believes it can fill the void left by the disappearance of off-licence chains from the high street because it already has a shop in every postcode. As post offices also vanish, the retailer hopes to make itself the hub of every community – and enjoy a spike in wine sales. Buyer Ben Cahill said: “A lot of our stores are the heart…

Halewood International has relaunched rum brand Lamb’s Spieced with a new liquid that comes in a redesigned hexagonal bottle. The abv has been reduced from 37% to 30% and the supplier hopes the new liquid will prove “smooth and versatile” and “suitable as a base for a range of cocktails”. Halewood said it had conducted extensive consumer research to influence the new taste and added…