Stolen Spirits, producer of Stolen Rum, has agreed to give US company Liquid Asset Brands LLC (LAB) a majority stake in the business for US$14/AU$19 million. The significant investment from LAB will provide Stolen Spirits with the growth capital it needs to expand its portfolio further, with plans to produce a smoked whiskey and several other rums next year. Based in Chicago, the partnership with LAB will also leverage Stolen Spirits’ portfolio into the ...

This week marked one of the biggest events on the industry’s calendar - the drinks association’s 2015 Annual General Meeting. First established by a small group of liquor merchants in 1897, today the association’s Board of Directors represents a group of 28 of the industry’s most influential suppliers, who are driving the next big decisions. Following a significant year for our industry, this year’s AGM provided Directors with an opportunity ...

Diageo has sold its shareholding in Jamaican brewer Desnoes & Geddes Ltd. (D&G) and GAPL Pte Limited (GAPL) to Heineken for 20 per cent of the Guinness business in Ghana. The sale sees the spirits company’s shareholding in Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL) increase to 72.42 per cent. As a result, Heineken has gained Diageo’s 57.87 per cent shareholding in D&G and 49.99 per cent in GAPL. The transaction cost ...

Brown Brothers appointed Dean Carroll as its new Chief Executive Officer this week, replacing CEO of five years, Roland Wahlquist. The change in leadership at the company is a result of Mr. Wahlquist’s decision to retire. Mr. Wahlquist joined Brown Brothers in 1990 as Chief Winemaker, before taking on the role of General Manager and later CEO. “Roland’s focused leadership has seen the company continue to innovate and grow, placing ...

Accolade Wines has appointed its General Manager of the UK and Ireland, Paul Schaafsma as Chief Executive Officer. As a result, current CEO of the company, John Ratcliffe will become Deputy Chairman. Mr. Schaafsma has been involved in the wine industry for almost 20 years, having worked in Australia, the UK, Europe and Africa. For the past three years, Mr. Schaafsma has been heading up the largest division of the ...

It was Coca-Cola Amatil’s (CCA) Group Managing Director, Alison Watkins, who said the smaller pack size could be the solution to reviving the Coca-Cola trademark in Australia, after the company reported declines in total earnings last year. Now, after successful trials of the 390ml bottle, and the 250ml can and 200ml multipack roll out proving popular with retailers and consumers, Coca-Cola South Pacific has decided to replace all 450ml pack sizes nationally with the smaller bottle size. ...

The Bayfield Hotels Group, owned by Northern Beaches’ Bayfield family, has bought The Light Brigade Hotel in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. The purchase also includes the restaurant above the hotel, La Scala on Jersey, which sees the family bring on Executive Chef, Marco Adler to help reinvigorate the venue’s food offering. “We are thrilled to now be a part of Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs’ rapidly growing food and pub mecca”, Bayfield Hotels ...

By Drew Lambert It’s the biggest indicator yet that Neil Perry’s QANTAS team of sommeliers mean business; QANTAS revealed exclusively to The Wine Wankers last week that 40% of the 270 wines chosen for the airline’s new wine list have never flown in First or Business class before. Oenophile fliers - those who choose their airlines according to the wines being served - will no doubt be salivating at the ...

The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) has released its two-year report of ‘Beer, Wine and Spirits Producers’ Commitments’ to Reduce Harmful Drinking. Signed back in October 2012, the commitments were agreed upon by CEOs of leading global producers of beer, wine and spirits to improve harmful drinking worldwide. The report released this week now highlights the steps and successes that have been achieved in the last two years by ...

Shares in SABMiller soared to approximately 23 per cent on Wednesday on the back of news of a ‘super-merger’ between the world’s two largest brewers – Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) and SAB Miller. SAB Miller - owners of Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) here in Australia and brewers of VB, Peroni and Carlton Draught, is the target of a takeover by AB InBev, who between them would control roughly 30 ...