07 Sep 2018 --- This week, in its home of Copenhagen, the Carlsberg Group unveiled the new Snap Pack: an innovation that replaces the traditional, bulky plastic rings that accompany multi-packs of beer with a pioneering solution that instead bonds beer cans together with recyclable glue. The technology is set to reduce plastic waste globally by more than 1200 tons a year – the equivalent to 60 million plastic bags, according to the Danish brewery.
30 Aug 2018 --- The Brewers of Europe (BoE) has criticized a European Commission proposal to include all ingredients in beer, even those added after fermentation, in order to calculate excise tax on alcohol. The proposed revision to the tax calculation system has angered European brewers who claim it would be unfair, discriminatory and completely contradictory to the harmonization objectives of the Directives.
20 Aug 2018 --- Welch’s Global Ingredients Group has embarked on a foray into the wine industry with the launch of a Niagara grape juice solution designed for a broad variety of different wine styles. According to the US ingredients supplier, the juice is perfect for fermentation and blending with wine made from more traditional wine grape varieties and even other fruits.
10 Aug 2018 --- Heineken's new brew, Hi-Fi Hops, from California beer brand Lagunitas, is made with marijuana instead of alcohol. Hi-Fi Hops is currently only available in a select number of dispensaries in California, where marijuana is legal. Lagunitas, Heineken's fast-growing California beer label, labels its new brew as “hoppy sparkling water.”
18 Jul 2018 --- Dutch craft beer brand Brouwerij Homeland Amsterdam has collaborated with Ball to create a unique, blank can design for its popular spelt beer. The cans utilize Ball’s 33-centiliter standard format, which is a popular choice amongst many craft brewers. Unlike other brands, Brouwerij Homeland Amsterdam has chosen to leave the 360-degree can canvas blank, creating a strong, stand-out design. The minimalist cans feature no printing or messaging, other than the name, date and alcohol percentage on the bottom of the can.
09 Jul 2018 --- Multi-Color Corporation (MCC) and Talkin’ Things are the first Internet of Things (IoT) packaging platform providers to combine Augmented Reality (AR) and Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to create a “unique” customer experience in connected products, according to Talkin’ Things. The label of Black Red Ale beer, which incorporates a large “talking” skull, fully fits into the smart packaging trend by using advanced AR facial recognition and dynamic scenarios dependent on users’ emotions.
22 Jun 2018 --- The closure of carbon dioxide production sites in Europe has led to a shortage of CO2 and concerns over the possibility of low stocks of soft drinks and beer during one of the busiest times of the year. Despite the fact that most retailers and drinks manufacturers hold high volumes of soft drinks, there are growing concerns that stocks could run low during the height of summer, a high-demand period for carbonated beverages and beer.
21 Jun 2018 --- Thin Film Electronics ASA (Thinfilm), a supplier of NFC (near field communication) mobile marketing solutions, is supplying el Jimador tequila with digital marketing formats for its bottles and coasters. The tequila brand hopes that tapping into consumer-focused digital marketing techniques will increase the scope of its soccer marketing campaign.
15 Jun 2018 --- In celebration of the soccer World Cup, family-owned Belgium brewers, Brouwerij Martens, is offering its premium beer in 32 country-specific bottle designs on the French market. Various images of the participating nations have been printed straight onto the PET bottles using Direct Print Powered by KHS.
08 Jun 2018 --- Israeli-based start-up, Wine Water Ltd., is set to launch O.Vine, the world's first non-alcoholic spring water infusion with the spirit of wine. According to the company, O.Vine brings an intoxicating aroma and refreshing taste to the palette.
05 Jun 2018 --- Craft beverages, functional and botanical ingredients and clean label have long been dominating NPD in the beverage space for some months. Contributing to this is the world of social media, which backs the current wave of food and drink related content as a form of self-expression and the debate around beverages – what’s in them, what’s new and so on – continues to dominate the sector.
29 May 2018 --- Coca-Cola has launched its first alcoholic drink, a lemon flavored alcopop, in Japan, in a bid to tap into new markets and consumers, appealing particularly at the growing market of young female drinkers. In a global first for the US drinks giant, three fizzy lemon drinks went on sale on earlier this week.
28 May 2018 --- The European Commission plans to reshape 25-year-old rules governing excise duty on alcohol because they need to be modernized to keep pace with the advances of technology and trade opportunities that are present today.
02 May 2018 --- In collaboration with M&H Plastics UK, Garçon Wines has reimagined wine retailing, logistics and delivery with the invention of a full-sized, letterbox-friendly 750ml wine bottle made from 100 percent recyclable PET. As the granted IP holder of the invention, Garçon Wines commercializes these unique, slimline and lightweight wine bottles, operating as both a drinks packaging provider and wine wholesale supplier.
24 Apr 2018 --- The first-ever distilled non-alcoholic spirit, Seedlip, is now being served in 15 international cities and 100 Michelin restaurants since its initial launch in 2015. Marketed as a sophisticated alternative to overly sweet or fruity options, the non-alcoholic beverage is served at prestigious cocktail bars, hotels, restaurants and retailers across London, Barcelona, Stockholm, Berlin, Copenhagen, Milan, Stockholm, Hong Kong, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sydney and Melbourne.
29 Mar 2018 --- England will introduce a deposit return system (DRS) on all plastic, glass and metal drinks containers, the UK minister for the Environment, Michael Gove has announced. Such schemes have successfully been running in neighboring countries Germany and Sweden and Scotland announced a similar plan last year. These schemes have managed to boost collection rates for beverage packaging to over 90 percent in some states. The announcement has been met with positive feedback amid concerns over the potential costs of implementation.
13 Mar 2018 --- Spirits are running high in the EU alcohol debate as the European alcoholic beverages sectors have come up with a self-regulatory, voluntary proposal on the list of ingredients and nutrition information and have submitted this draft to the European Commission for consideration. Currently, there is no EU legal obligation in place for alcoholic drinks above 1.2 percent (ABV) to show nutritional and ingredients information. This means that some alcoholic drinks are sold without on-label reference to aspects like sugar content, which is different to regulations for soft drinks, for instance.
26 Jan 2018 --- Budweiser has revealed a new symbol on its beer that shows it has been brewed with 100 percent renewable electricity. It’s all part of a grand plan to brew Budweiser around the world with 100 percent renewable electricity by 2025, in line with parent company AB InBev’s commitment to source all purchased electricity from renewable sources.
19 Jan 2018 --- The first non-alcoholic lager has been launched by Guinness as the brand taps into the trend to strengthen its teetotal drinks offering with a full-flavored beer. Global alcohol consumption is declining and there is an increasing consumer trend towards cutting down on alcohol or cutting it out altogether. This is leading to more and more non-alcoholic or low ABV products hitting the market.
13 Dec 2017 --- US state alcohol excise taxes are typically only a few cents per drink and have not kept pace with inflation, according to a new study. Soon to be published in the January issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, authors claim that hiking up taxes would be a chance for US states to increase revenues while simultaneously improving public health costs related to excessive alcohol consumption.
