Trade reacts to the Bibendum PLB merger

Rival suppliers and potential customers of the new Bibendum PLB group have been unsurprised by the news of the merger, given tough market conditions, with most saying further consolidation in the supply chain is on the cards.

Armagnac Academies expands to China

French brandy Armagnac is setting its sights on China with the launch of its Armagnac Acadamies there later this month. 

Beam Suntory names Rebecca Asseline as Courvoisier ambassador

Rebecca Asseline has been appointed the global brand ambassador for Courvoisier.

Bibendum acquires PLB to create 'UK's most powerful independent' drinks supplier

Bibendum, one of the UK's largest wine and spirits distributors has acquired major rival, PLB, for an undisclosed sum and is merging both businesses, as of today, October 29, into the Bibendum PLB Group, Harpers.co.uk can reveal.

Analysis: The new Bibendum PLB supergroup

Bibendum's acquisition of UK drinks rival PLB and the merger of both businesses has created a supergroup, complete with five divisions, catering to the on and off-trades, independents, specialist beer and spirits and events sectors.

Tia Maria liqueur teams up with beauty brand Babyliss

Tia Maria has teamed up with beauty brand Babyliss as part of its multi-million pound campaign to boost brand awareness.

Diageo launches on-trade winter spirits campaign

Diageo is looking to help bartenders cash in on the 39% sales increase spirits enjoy in wintertime with a new campaign based on 'inspiring serves'.

English gin grows in western Europe, says Euromonitor

English gin consumption has been dominated primarily by the US, Spain and the UK, but Euromonitor is beginning to see signs of change as the product becomes more popular in Western Europe.

Treasury and Mast- Jägermeister join Portman Group

Minimum pricing still on agenda with Public Health England

Minimum pricing could be back on the UK government's agenda sooner than expected, as Public Health England vows to keep pushing for the measure in the next 18 months.

Burgundy's School of Wine & Spirits Business enrolment rises 30%

Burgundy School of Business's recently launched School of Wine & Spirits Business (SWBS) saw the number of students rise by 30% to nearly 140 students for the 2014-2015 academic year.

Berry Bros releases Exceptional Cask Collection going back 50 years

Berry Bros & Rudd Spirits is releasing a series of exclusive bottlings of whisky and rum that have been matured for 50 years as part of its new Exceptional Casks Collection.

Waitrose predicts healthy future for South American and lighter style wines and spirits

South American wines and more left field grape varieties like an Austrian Grüner Veltliner or a Spanish Albarino are going to become far more trendy in the months ahead, according to the new Waitrose Food and Drink Report 2014.

Matthew Clark sees British drinks soar in popularity

On-trade drinks supplier Matthew Clark has seen sales of English wines soar by 53% in the past year, with home-grown beers and spirits following suit.

Chief of the week: Ian Burrell - the world's rum ambassador

As job titles go global rum ambassador is one to brag about with your mates down the pub. Really? Your job is to go around the world talking about and tasing and drinking rum?

Lock Stock's Guy Ritchie links up with David Beckham to make Haig whisky TV advert

Guy Ritchie, the UK film director behind Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels director and the recent Sherlock Holmes film series, has linked up with David Beckham to make the first TV advert for his new Haig Club whisky.

RumFest attracts industry's biggest names to London's two day event

Diageo Q1 sales down, but hopes for full year growth

Spirits giant Diageo's first quarter organic net sales were down 1.5% thanks to weak emerging markets, the firm has said.

Pernod Ricard unveils marketing campaigns for Jameson, Chivas and Brancott Estate

Pernod Ricard's Jameson, Chivas Regal and Brancott Estate brands will be receiving a major boost with the launch of separate marketing campaigns this autumn.

Advocaat brand Warninks launches new liqueur