Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Lourensford Wines joins biodiversity initiative

Published: 29 October, 2008

Lourensford Wines has joined the group of just 13 South African wineries to be named a "champion producer" by the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI).

Minimum alcohol price plans dropped

Published: 28 October, 2008

The government has decided not to impose a minimum price on alcohol, according to a report in the Mirror.

Grants whisky invests in Scottish radio campaign

Published: 28 October, 2008

Grants, distributed in the UK by independent drinks distributor First Drinks Brands, is investing in a major radio campaign to support the Scottish market in the run-up to Christmas.

International Beverage invests £15 million in Scottish marketing hub

Published: 28 October, 2008

International Beverage Holdings, parent company of Inver House Distillers, is to invest £15 million to centralise its global marketing operations in Scotland.

Asda Champagne sales "buck downward trend"

Published: 27 October, 2008

Sales of Champagne are up at Asda despite the fact that they are down across the market as a whole, the supermarket said today.

TFWA becomes platform for world firsts and exclusives

Published: 27 October, 2008

This year's Tax Free World Exhibition (TFWA) is being used as a launch pad for exclusives and "world-firsts" by some of the drinks companies on show.

Countries unite to tackle counterfeit luxury goods

Published: 27 October, 2008

Nine countries have today signed an agreement to fight the $700 billion trade in counterfeit luxury goods, including alcohol brands.

Credit crunch could cost duty-free sector dear

Published: 27 October, 2008

Rising fuel costs and falling passenger numbers coud end up costing the duty free sector $1 billion (£648 million).

Irish stores to separate alcohol from food

Published: 27 October, 2008

Supermarkets and convenience stores in Ireland could soon be forced to separate alcoholic drinks from food and other products using a permanent barrier or turnstile.

Beer sales down by 1.8 million pints a day

Published: 27 October, 2008

The decline in beer sales in the UK is accelerating, reveal figures from the British Beer & Pub Association out today.

Weekend round-up: Alcohol one-third cheaper than 10 years ago

Published: 27 October, 2008

A round-up of stories from the weekend newspapers.

Sign Harpers' No 10 petition

Published: 24 October, 2008

Harpers has put up a petition on the No 10 Downing Street website calling on members of the public to lobby the Prime Minister over any potential drinks legislation.

Fortune Brands announces management change at Beam Global

Published: 24 October, 2008

Fortune Brands, makers of Jim Beam bourbon, has announced that Tom Flocco, president and chief executive officer of its Beam Global Spirits & Wine business is leaving the company to pursue other interests.

Le Manoir team scoop wine and dessert trophy

Published: 24 October, 2008

The assistant chef sommelier and the 1st Commis Pastry chef from Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons in Oxford have scooped year's Wines of Roussillon Dessert Trophy.

Ambassade de l'Ile appoints new sommelier

Published: 24 October, 2008

Ambassade de l'Ile, the London outpost of Jean-Christophe Ansanay-Alex's two Michelin-starred l'Auberge de l'Ile in Lyon, has appointed Aurelien Gil-Artagnan as sommelier.

Asda refuses to support minimum pricing bid

Published: 23 October, 2008

Asda will not support government legislation in favour of a minimum price for alcohol, according to its public affairs director Guy Mason. Text

Cash-strapped Irish consumers refuse to ditch wine habits

Published: 23 October, 2008

A poll carried out by an Irish wine merchant suggests that consumers are looking for better value wine purchases rather than ditching it altogether during the credit crunch.

Irish wine hike could face Euro challenge

Published: 23 October, 2008

The European courts could challenge a 20.2% hike on excise duty on wine unveiled in last week's controversial Irish budget, the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has warned.