Drinks tech takeover in 2024 and 2025

Jo Gilbert rifles back through a year filled with digital breakthroughs in drinks, dominated by the march of AI, while looking forward to what 2025 may bring.

New study shines light on future trends in spirits

Research undertaken by GlobalData suggests that premiumisation, convenience, generational shifts and AI will be the key drivers of innovation and development in the spirits industry over the next five years.

WineGB launches hub to boost diversity in industry

WineGB has introduced its ‘People Support Hub’ to mark the close of its 30 Days of Sustainable Action campaign, promoting equity, diversity and inclusion within the wine sector.

Multiples: Co-op’s balancing act pays off

James Bayley finds the Co-op’s new wine range delivers across the board with traditional favourites and new finds.

Alejandro López appointed new winemaker of Bodegas Beronia

Alejandro López has been named as the new winemaker and technical manager of Bodegas Beronia, taking over from Matías Calleja, who held the position for 42 years.

Waitrose appoints new wine trading manager

Nicola Jones will join Waitrose as its new wine trading manager on 13 October, bringing 13 years of experience from within the company. 

Nick Gillett: Why vodka needs to break out of its boring ‘steady Eddie’ box

What do you think of when you hear the word ‘vodka’. Not much, right? Where the word ‘whisky’ evokes images of sipping from a glass next to a roaring fire and ‘rum’ transports you to tropical climates grasping a glass filled with amber liquid on ice – vodka just doesn’t deliver the same dreamy (if clichéd) scenarios. But vodka is estimated to have a global value of $40.25 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 5.6% each year until then (IWSR Vodka Innovation Trends report). So, the category has to be doing something right, surely?

Hospitality unites to drive innovation

The question of how to drive growth and invest in hospitality was the question at the heart of a recent session organised by the Hospitality Sector Council and its Innovation Working Group (IWG).

Chile ramps up focus on innovation at London tasting

First time visitors to this year’s Wines of Chile annual tasting in London could be forgiven for thinking that this is a country in a permanent state of evolution, often operating at the fringes of established viticulture to drive a rolling agenda of innovation.

Guy Woodward: Wine is about people more than grapes

Rarely have I tried to recall an email as quickly as I did after notifying a female contact that it would be great if she could find time to meet up, as I’d heard how busty she was these days.

Harpers Design Awards 2023 open for entries

Submissions are now being invited for the 2023 edition of Harpers Design Awards, which is the leading competition of its kind in the UK market.

Spain now has confidence to ‘walk naked in the street’

Champions of Spain’s diversity articulate a wine scene that has for some time been generating excitement, revealing an increasingly compelling collective offer, with individuality, accessibility and sense of place to the fore. The country has been dubbed by some as the ‘New World of the Old’, in recognition of its ongoing innovation.

Innovation Report: The glass debate

Is glass creating a bottleneck in the drive to greater sustainability and can we change consumer perception of it as a strong indicator of quality? Andrew Catchpole reports back from Harpers’ recent Sustainability of Glass webinar.

Chile goes long on ‘personality’ at annual London tasting

If the annual Wines from Chile tasting yesterday (31 March) is a fair yardstick of where the country is at, then this is an industry now more Citroën DS than Volvo estate, with sometimes quirky but increasingly successful and captivating innovation to the fore.

Long Read: Is novel foods legislation stifling innovation in the beverage sector?

When the UK left the EU, some – including Richard Horwell, owner of specialist food and drink marketing and branding company Brand Relations – hoped novel foods regulations would be overhauled in order to facilitate drinks innovation. Sadly, he says, we are still some way behind.

Quintessential Brands unveils 'industry-first' Spirit Centre

International spirits business Quintessential Brands has launched a first-of-its-kind Spirit Centre, designed to “take customer collaboration to new heights to drive better, insight-driven innovation within spirits”.

Chile's old vine renaissance

Evolution in motion

The growing no/low-alcohol cocktail category has seen some serious innovation as bars and consumers seek more substance in their drinks. Clinton Cawood reports on the latest trends

'Experience-first' reopening: How hospitality came back with a bang

Since July’s fuller reopening of the on-trade, UK venues are determined to come back with a bang in order to coax punters away from well-stocked home bars. Jo Gilbert takes flight into the new world of ‘experience first’ hospitality

Domaine Lafage unveils sparkling rosé fermented with beer yeast

Roussillon producer Domaine Lafage has launched a sparkling rosé in the UK, marking the first such wine to emerge from the French region, according to the producer.