Kevin Balmforth

La Martiniquaise-Bardinet has added a third gin to its growing portfolio - acquiring a majority stake in UK-based Warner's Distillery. This move strengthens the French group’s position in the gin category and underscores continued investment in craft-led, provenance-driven spirits. Full details: https://lnkd.in/exukjpNE #Alcohol #Spirits #Liquor #Gin #CraftSpirits #MergersAndAcquisitions #BeverageIndustry #WarnersDistillery #LaMartiniquaiseBardinet

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It’s been a while, so much so that I’ve been asked where my category updates have been lately! So on a hot Friday entering the weekend, where better place to start than cocktails. So despite difficult trading conditions there is still a strong consumer demand for cocktails and they are becoming increasingly available. The value of cocktails in the UK on trade is now at £712m with over 44,900 outlets stocking them, ( thats just under 50% of outlets) that’s up +4.2% with the average price of a cocktail £8.52 up +£0.39. 40% of cocktail drinkers are now drinking them more frequently, 19% of 18-34 year olds are drinking cocktails 3-5 times a week. So what’s the biggest selling cocktail out there? Well it’s still the pornstar Martini at 13% (share of serves) followed closely by sex on the beach (12.4%) and Aperol spritz at (12%) Classic cocktails are where it’s at. Cocktails still seem as a treat opportunity but quality is all important, 45% drink it as a treat. Cocktails are gaining traction in restaurants (+5.2%) as well as community pubs and sports and social clubs (2% and 14.1% respectively) cocktails are versatile across both low and high tempo visits. Cocktail consumption is generally within the early evening. The big driver for sales is getting the consumer engaged, offers such as 2 for1’s, happy hour, price discounts and ensure they are well advertised in cocktail menus or chalk boards. We couldn’t do a post without mentioning no and low, 66% of consumers have now seen non alcoholic cocktails when out, top non alcoholic cocktails such as Mojito(35% of serves) and pina colada (29% of serves) are leading the way. LWC Drinks #ontrade#hospitality#pubs#bars#restaurants#hotels#cocktails

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The market for low and no alcohol beer continues to boom, with year-on-year growth of 23% according to recent statistics from the British Beer and Pub Association. But while there are still great opportunities for brewers looking to enter this market, they need to be mindful about pathogens, as this is still an issue that has not been researched deeply enough for us to be fully conclusive about the risks they pose in low/no alcohol beer. Our Brewing Microbiology Research Team explores some of the challenges and uncertainties for brewers. It also touches on some of the existing research available and new research from our Brewing Microbiology team, which is trying to provide greater clarity on the size of the pathogen problem and their survival in non-alcoholic beers. It is however a challenging area, with many questions still left unanswered and further research needed. Read the blog here ➡️ https://okt.to/TdN3PL #CampdenBRI #Pasteuristion #PasteuristionOptimisation #MicrobiologyResearch #FoodAndDrink #FoodScience #FoodTechnology #BeverageResearch #DrinkIndustry #FoodAndDrinkScience #FoodAndBeverageIndustry

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Industry update 👇👀 Plant based food company Oddlygood has appointed Katie Simpson, former innocent drinks executive, as its new Head of Marketing. Simpson, who has also held roles at Diageo, AB InBev and Ferrero, helped Innocent become the UK’s number one chilled drinks brand. “Rude Health’s UK success and Oddlygood’s rapid growth in the Nordics speak volumes about the passion and quality of both brands,” said Simpson. “This is a pivotal moment, and a real opportunity to connect more deeply with consumers to accelerate their impact.” Oddlygood has also promoted Sam Maguire, former head of marketing, to UK Country Manager. The appointments follow strong growth for Rude Health, up 21.7% since its acquisition in October 2024. For more information, click the link in the comments! 👇

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We are delighted to share our new policy document; Levers for Growth and Sustainability. Developed alongside our sector partners Seafood Scotland, Quality Meat Scotland, FDF Scotland, SAOS Ltd, NFU SCOTLAND, Scottish Bakers, Scotch Whisky Association, and Salmon Scotland, this document identifies 12 key levers that will drive growth and help achieve sustainability across the food and drink industry. These levers have been developed in collaboration with sectoral bodies to ensure they reflect industry priorities and opportunities, and our wider focus will be on maintaining momentum, scaling up successful initiatives, and accelerating progress where needed. 👉 Find out more and read the report on our website: https://lnkd.in/eQYQMbKK

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