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Portman Group launches pandemic blog series

Published:  07 September, 2020

The Portman Group is launching a new bi-weekly blog to examine how the drinks sector is confronting the responsibilities and challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Consumers positive about Eat Out to Help Out scheme

Published:  07 September, 2020

Consumers were very happy with the levels of hygiene and cleanliness they encountered during the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, according to an extensive survey conducted by CGA, UK Hospitality and Yumpingo.

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Low and no sales on the rise

Published:  07 September, 2020

Sales of low- and no-alcohol drinks are up 30% year-on-year in the off-trade, with consumer spend on alcohol-free spirits hitting £5.4m, according to data from Nielsen.

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Bar Douro launches Portuguese wine club

Published:  03 September, 2020

London-based Portuguese restaurant and wine bar, Bar Douro, has unveiled a new nationwide subscription wine service.

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Long Read: Moonshine and fruit wine – a postcard from post-Covid Latvia

Published:  03 September, 2020

Pernod Ricard, Mentzendorff and Lucky Saint alum Hugh Jones upped sticks recently and headed to Baltic capital Riga where he found an emerging drinks industry with parallels to the UK's own. 

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Chivas chief slams Scots govt for whisky sector lockdown failure

Published:  03 September, 2020

The Scottish government failed to support the Scottish whisky industry at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Jean-Christophe Coutures, the chairman and chief executive of Chivas Brothers, has said.

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2020 NZ harvest "exceptional"

Published:  03 September, 2020

Despite the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, New Zealand’s 2020 vintage is “exceptional” in terms of both quality and quantity, according to the 2020 New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Report.

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Sales at Pernod Ricard slump post-Covid

Published:  02 September, 2020

Organic sales at Pernod Ricard fell 9.5% as a result of the Covid-19 crisis, the company has reported, with revenues for the year to 30 June reaching €8.5bn.

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FMV loses two more from portfolio

Published:  02 September, 2020

Champagne Jacquesson and Roussillon vineyard Le Soula are the latest producers to move its UK distribution from Fields, Morris & Verdin (FMV), the wholesale arm of Berry Bros & Rudd.

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End of Eat Out to Help Out signals new phase for restaurants

Published:  01 September, 2020

Food sales went through the roof in the first three weeks of the government’s The Eat Out to Help Out (EOHO) scheme, helping to normalise going out for Brits and jumpstarting the UK hospitality industry back towards health and prosperity.

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In the spirit of change

Published:  01 September, 2020

Ghost kitchens and virtual restaurants are the next step in the accelerating on-trade evolution, which completely strips out the dine-in part of the restaurant experience. So where does alcohol fit into this increasingly food-focused, delivery-only mix? Jo Gilbert reports.

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Portman Group labels Drinking in the Dark report “utter nonsense”

Published:  26 August, 2020

The Portman Group has issued a strong rebuttal to a new report from the Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA) which calls alcohol labelling in the UK “inadequate”.

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Mark Roberts, Lanchester Wines: Back to Business Q&A

Published:  26 August, 2020

As the trade measures up to extraordinary times and looks ahead beyond summer, leading operators take stock of doing business in the new normal.

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Jerry Lockspeiser: What happens next?

Published:  26 August, 2020

One of the many reasons people like working in the wine trade is the sense of common bond. Trade outsiders may doubt how friendly people who are direct competitors can really be. But they often are. People can’t help liking and respecting each other. The bonhomie that wine engenders helps, as does admiration for the labour, love, and sheer dedication of those who make the stuff. From producers to distributors, retailers, and communicators, an unstated feeling of shared mission is in the air. Now, too, the trenches spirit that comes with having backs against the wall.

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Back to the bar: the reality of reopening

Published:  25 August, 2020

Lisa Riley catches up with a trio of bar professionals after the reopening of the on-trade to get a feel for the ‘new world’ to which they have returned. 

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WSTA maps out UK visitor centres for thirsty ‘staycationers’

Published:  24 August, 2020

The Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has launched an interactive map of distilleries and wineries that are open to the public in the UK.

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50 Best Indies count down

Published:  20 August, 2020

Harpers 50 Best Indies awards will be announced throughout the week of 7 to 11 September, culminating in a live webinar with the top 10 on the Friday.

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Te Pā gains first major UK listing

Published:  13 August, 2020

Māori-run family estate te Pā has won its first major multiple listing with its Pā Signature Series Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, which are bound for Tesco.

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Pubs and restaurant group sales halve in first month back

Published:  13 August, 2020

Britain’s managed pub, restaurant and bar groups saw trading fall to just over half of ‘normal’ trading compared to the same month last year, data from CGA’s Coffer Peach Business Tracker has shown.

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Relief as gin spared from US tariff hikes, but battle for Scotch continues

Published:  13 August, 2020

The US has backed down on its threat to expand a 16-year old trade fight with the European Union to impose tariffs on gin – a move which would have been “hugely detrimental” for the British alcohol industry.

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