Coca-Cola Amatil has reported growth of 31.7 per cent in its Alcohol & Coffee earnings among FY 2015 results, attributed to its continued partnership with Beam Suntory in Australia and New Zealand. Group Managing Director for the company, Alison Watkins, said sales in alcohol ready-to-drink beverages and spirits have benefited from the introduction of Suntory spirits to CCA’s portfolio and CCA and Beam Suntory’s new partnership in New Zealand. “The addition of Suntory ...

Fourth generation bartender, Andrew Bennett from The Classroom in North Perth, is the winner of this year’s BACARDÍ Legacy Australia Cocktail Competition. Bennett won the competition on Tuesday night against fellow contestants Peter Hollands and Igor Pachi, and will now go on to represent Australia in the global finals in San Francisco in April. The winning cocktail was The Seventh Art - a concoction of BACARDÍ Carta Blanca, Yellow Chartreuse, lemon juice, ...

Kegstar announced two new appointments this week as the keg rental and collection business prepares to expand globally. The company had already announced at the end of last year that it would be branching into Europe after one of its existing investors Brambles offered to acquire 100 per cent of the company, providing investment for growth. Now with plans to expand the company even further across the world, Australian and New ...

Treasury Wine Estates has revealed a second portfolio of wines among key focuses and plans that form the next phase of the company’s global brand strategy. The portfolio identifies nine of TWE’s existing Australian wine brands as regional ‘gems’ – brands that through increased focus and investment will expand company’s exports as well as provide growth opportunities for TWE customers in this market. A new team, led by Regional Wines General Manager, ...

Early bird rates available now. The Australian drinks Awards 2016 is now accepting entries and submissions for the five drinks categories and fifteen subcategories. An early bird entry rate is available until 31 March 2016. Alternatively, all entries to the Awards close 13 May 2016. Visit the Australian drinks Awards 2016 website for more information and how to enter.

Bryan Fry, currently Managing Director, Pernod Ricard USA, has been appointed Managing Director, Pernod Ricard Pacific and will report to the Chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard Winemakers. He replaces Julien Hémard whose new appointment will be announced shortly. Organisational changes to the Pernod Ricard global structure were announced last night from Paris, with the creation of new management entities aligned with the Pernod Ricard EMEA model. “Our organization and ...

Trade are being invited to have their say on the review of the lockout laws. The review is being led by former High Court Justice, the Hon. Ian Callinan AC QC, and will assess the effectiveness of the 1.30am lockouts and 3am last drinks legislation that applies in Kings Cross and Sydney CBD precincts, while also looking at the state-wide 10pm restriction of take away liquor sales. The review will ...

The wine region of McLaren Vale now has its first dedicated whisky distillery, with several others in the pipeline for other SA wine regions, amid a groundswell of whisky production activity in the state. The McLaren Vale Distillery has been founded by John Rochfort, former CEO of Tasmania’s Lark Distillery, and his family, together with business partner Jock Harvey, who also owns Chalk Hill Wines. They are consulting with undisclosed parties on distilleries that ...

The Keystone Group has announced the sale of The Newtown Hotel to Colonial Leisure Group. The iconic Sydney venue will change hands in late March this year. The Keystone Group purchased the pub in 2010 and undertook extensive renovations to restore it to its original state. Under the group’s management, The Newtown Hotel has returned to its former glory as one of the suburb’s landmark pubs. “We are pleased to confirm ...

Carlsberg has chosen Australia to be among the first markets globally to launch its new Carlsberg Mid 3.5%. The beer will be managed by Coopers Brewery and distributed through Premium Beverages. Coopers will also brew Carlsberg Mid locally, at its Regency Park headquarters. National Sales and Marketing Director, Cam Pearce, says the brewery believes there’s a strong demand for mid-strength beers in Australia. “Sales of Mild Ale 3.5% grew by 13.7 per ...