Europe Intelligence Wire articles from May 2008

Europe Intelligence Wire archives from May 2008

Wine drinkers will spend more if incentive is right.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Laura Clark Despite the faltering economy, consumers can still be persuaded to trade up in wine , according to research unveiled at the London International Wine Fair. A Wine Intelligence study...

Carlsberg creates new brew for Tesco.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Rosie Davenport Carlsberg has set its sights on the mid-strength lager market with the roll-out of a 2.6% abv spin-off. Branded simply as Carlsberg Mid-Strength, the beer will offer a challenge to...

Indian group buys Darlington Wines.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) India's largest winemaker is the new owner of Darlington Wines and its Corby Bottlers subsidiary, which went into administration a few weeks ago. Champagne Indage managing director Ranjit S Chougule said:...

Trust to offer sales courses.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Laura Clark Off-licence staff will be offered on-the-job training by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust after a survey found "selling skills" were absent from the organisation's qualifications. The...

Scottish microbrewery needs buyer.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) A buyer is being sought for Scotland's Arran microbrewery, which has gone into administration. The brewer, based in Cladoch on the Isle of Arran, developed cashflow problems as a result of what administrator...

VOX SHOP.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) "I've noticed more customers are keen for bargains and special offers. People are still buying trophy bottles though - last week I sold a bottle of ChAteau d'Yquem for AGBP325, so it's not all doom and gloom. The...

Potential AGBP1bn growth in wine.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Christine Boggis Wine in the UK has potential to grow by AGBP1 billion if suppliers and retailers take the right steps, Constellation Europe president Troy Christensen has said. Speaking at the...

Diageo cross-promoting.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Diageo is moving away from marketing its spirit brands individually and will be investing 10% of its advertising budget on cross-brand and category promotions. "For a company that's famous for single brand...

VB heads Foster's three-pronged assault on UK.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Foster's is putting its weight behind leading Australian beer brand Victoria Bitter in the UK. The company hopes to position VB as a competitor to its namesake lager brand Foster's, whose European rights it...

Licensing 'should hinge on health'.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Off-licences should only be granted licences if councillors are convinced they will not cause local health problems , according to a new report. Liverpool's Health is Wealth commission - set up to address...

In Brief.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Students rebel against 21 Scottish student groups have banded together to form Cardas - the Coalition Against Raising the Drinking Age in Scotland. The group, whose website can be found at cardas.org.uk, opposes...

Licensees forced to sign to scheme.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Nigel Huddleston Off-licences in the London Borough of Bexley have been told by the local licensing officer that they must sign a contract committing them to a Challenge 21 or older policy. In a...

Brewer refuses toAbe drawn on sale speculation.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Cobra Beer has played down speculation that the company has targeted major international brewing companies as potential buyers within the next three years. Press stories cited a report prepared by Cobra for...

Trade mourns Mondavi.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) The world of wine is mourning Robert Mondavi, who has died aged 94 at his Napa Valley home. Described by Constellation Brands as "the founder of the modern US fine wine industry and a global symbol of American...

Green criteria at centre stage.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Christine Boggis Tesco will demand that its suppliers look at their carbon footprints and work towards cutting their impact on the environment, BWS head Dan Jago has said. Jago told the London...

Festival bands of Brothers.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Brothers Drinks has announced it will sponsor three summer music festivals in addition to Beach Break Live in Cornwall. The company is supporting T4 On The Beach, Guil Fest and Live at Loch Lomond . News of at...

Vodka makes a smooth transition.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Intercontinental Brands is launching what it says is the first alcoholic smoothie. Vodkat Smoothies will be targeted at consumers aged 18 -30 and come in four flavours - Cassis, Apple & Strawberry, Apple &...

Scotland denies tax on cheap booze.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) The Scottish Executive has said it has no firm plans to raise an extra tax on cheap alcohol to fight binge drinking. Reports suggested the OFT had told justice minister Kenny MacAskill that such a plan was...

In Brief.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Amber light Freeminer is switching its bottled beer range to lighter weight glass in a bid to save energy and help the environment. Its beers will now come in 300g amber-coloured glass bottles, compared with the...

Unwins boss remembered.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Graham Holter Tributes have been paid to Richard Rotter, widely regarded as the driving force behind Unwins in its heyday. Richard was joint managing director from 1974 until 2001, when he...

Specialists help retailers tackle security issues.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Law firm Weightmans has teamed up with specialists in workplace violence and conflict resolution, Maybo and Skills for Security, to host a security and loss prevention seminar for retailers. The British Retail...

Yellow Tail repeats US success in UK.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Yellow Tail, the Australian wine which took America by storm, is beginning to replicate some of that success in the UK - which is now its number three export destination after the US and Canada. Owner John...

In Brief.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Chain overcomes opposition A Bargain Booze store will open in Middlesbrough after fighting off objections from local community groups. Martin Ashton won a licence for the store in North Ormesby from Middlesbrough...

Davenport direct.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Tesco's decision to challenge the sale of alcohol to adults they suspect of buying for the minors shopping with them is a bold move - and all eyes are on how it plays out. For a company that has so many touch...

Feedback.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) In response to your article Alcohol Education Plans for Schools (May 2), I'd like to make you aware of an alcohol education programme in schools that BII has been running with huge success since mid-2007. The BII...

Thresher's compensation deal delivers the wrong message.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) It is all very well for Yvonne Rankin, the chief executive of Threshers, to say in the last issue of OLN that she will compensate companies which carried out emergency deliveries as a result of Christian...

Go on, be the very first ADZ guinea pig.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) The turbulent ride given by MPs of all persuasions to the progress of the legislation to introduce Alcohol Disorder Zones has not deflected the government from implementing them. Ministers have conceded that the...

Total Retail's a headache.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) I've got a headache . It was caused partly by a night of hedonism, which involved a bunch of asparagus, a bowl of spaghetti and clams, two small bottles of strong Belgian beer, and the best part of a bottle of...

Identity charades.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Dan Tedder is a 19-year-old student, quite legally waiting to pay for eight cans of Stella at the self-scan checkout in a superstore in south London's suburban fringe. When he passes the bar code over the...

Did wine from my shop trigger asthma attack?
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Q A customer claims that a wine he bought from my shop triggered a minor asthma attack because of its high level of sulphur dioxide. I opened another bottle and did find that it smelled of struck matches. Is this...

the forum.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Q Is a sign saying "sorry, closed while I have a toilet break" really less professional than "back in five minutes"? I only ask as I've been told to remove mine . A Is it really necessary to advertise your...

The off-trade is catching up.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Q Would you say more lager is sold these days in the take-home market or the on-trade? A The on-trade still has the edge, but the moment is not too far off when the off-trade actually overtakes it, at least in...

A timely life and untimely death.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Robert Mondavi, who died two weeks ago at the age of 94, was one of the key figures in the history of New World wine: a man of passion, ambition, drive, energy, generosity and (when it was needed) no little...

Constellation and Rothschild build new brand in Bordeaux.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Christine Boggis Constellation has launched its first French brand - EnchantA - in a joint venture with Bordeaux producer Baron Philippe de Rothschild. The brand has been developed using...

All of Central Otago considers organics.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Producers from New Zealand's Central Otago are making moves to get the whole region certified as organic. A government-sponsored organic body has given the region a grant to teach vineyard owners and...

News in brief.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) l The Definitive Italian Wine Tasting is celebrating its 10th anniversary on June 24 at Lord's Cricket Ground. There will be 97 exhibitors in attendance, including newcomers Awin Barratt Siegel Wine Agencies,...

Beam renovates Cockburn's ports.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Cockburn's has repackaged its range of ports in a bid to appeal more to younger drinkers and to draw new consumers into the category. New-look bottles will feature brief tasting notes on front labels - such...

Origin seeks CCT break for Fairtrade.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Laura Clark Origin Wine has mounted a petition to remove the Common Customs Tariff from Fairtrade wines in a bid to increase its distribution across the EU. Hoping to collect up to 10,000...

Nomacorc testing closures by style.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Closure manufacturer Nomacorc is working with winemakers to analyse how different oxygen transfer rates affect different wine styles. The company is working with the French Institut National de la Recherche...

Sarkozy given plans for a reformation.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) France has outlined plans to reform its wine industry in a paper handed to president Nicolas Sarkozy this week. The changes aim to streamline the country's complicated system and make French wine better able...

LIWF Soundbites.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) "In order to minimise confusion and misdirected effort, there is an urgent need for the wine industry to establish a common methodology for calculating carbon dioxide emissions. This is the first major challenge:...

Raising the steaks.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) A great big juicy steak, sizzling and crackling as it's pri sed off the barbie, served with a deep crimson glass of Malbec. For some people, this is as good as Argentine cuisine - or indeed, any cuisine - gets....

Waiter! I've made my decision.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Carl Emberson, general manager of the Grand Hyatt in SAGBPo Paolo, is an Australian who lived and worked in Argentina for more than 15 years. "While I try other wines, I mainly drink Argentine wines and love...

Facing up to a new world.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: The classic wine region must change to grow, key trade figures say. Laura Clark reports Bordeaux struggles to assert a separate identity for each of its 57 appellations . Throw into that marketing...

Lambrini: 'fun without fizz'.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Laura Clark Halewood International is introducing a still version of its Lambrini brand in a 3-litre bag-in-box format. Positioned as "all the fun without the fizz", it has an abv of 7.5% and will...

Magners Light hits big screen.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Magners Light is being backed by a London cinema campaign focusing on slots around Sex and the City. The main Magners brand also has new advertising featuring the brand's master cider maker and head orchard...

S&N launches Jacques campaign as summer approaches.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Scottish & Newcastle UK has launched a four-week outdoor campaign for its Jacques fruit cider. The campaign positions the brand as "no ordinary cider" and is aimed at raising awareness and encouraging trials among...

BrewDog creates a limited Paradox.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Scottish microbrewer Brew Dog has produced a 200-bottle limited -edition version of its Paradox stout, matured for 12 months in a 1968 Bowmore whisky cask. The whisky was sold for AGBP1,500 a bottle, but...

News in brief.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) l Waitrose is listing Wainwright Ale, produced by the Lancashire brewer Daniel Thwaites. The bottled beer has been brewed to celebrate the county's famous walking legend Alfred Wainwright. l Aston Manor's...

Nepal Ice is latest bottled beer import.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Nepal is to become the latest country represented in the imported bottled lager category in the UK. Altitude Imports (UK) has been set up by Folkestone-based restaurateur Kishore Sapkota to import Nepal Ice...

And it's all over for another season.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Well here we are again - the end of a stunning season and the prospect of 80+ days without Premiership football. However, console yourselves with Euro 2008 which, without England, still promises to be a great...

Top 50 managers of the season.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) 1 Matchstick Men Jack Hibberd 570 2 Hungry Hungry Hippos Scott Ashton 548 3 Kaka's XI Uday Lal 543 4 Red Devils David Kenyon 542 5 Drumburn United James Gillespie 537 6 Third Party Manager Daniel Taylor 526 7...

Which way is the amber nectar flowing?
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Hold the front page: cider's combined off-trade sales are now bigger than those of Stella Artois. That an entire category is larger than an individual brand shouldn' really be shocking news, but the sheer scale of...

Cooling down hots up trade.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Drinking warm lager is one of life's most soul-destroying experiences, and more and more retailers in the impulse sector are recognising that their customers want chilled products - and will frequently pay more...

New blend set to replace Bell's 8 YO.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Laura Clark Diageo is replacing its Bell's 8 Year Old whisky with a new blend and has plans to double the brand's marketing spend this year. A AGBP4 million ad campaign will back the launch of the...

Grand Marnier gets Frenglish in ads.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Grand Marnier is being promoted inAaAnew summer cocktail as part ofAtheAbrand's biggest ever UK marketingApush. The seven-figure campaign, called Frenglish, will be written in a mix of French and English to...

Final Ardbeg single malt comes to light.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Glenmorangie has released the final single malt in Ardbeg's collection of limited edition whiskies designed to show "the peaty path to maturity". The launch of Ardbeg Renaissance follows the roll-out of Very...

In brief.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) l Cellar Trends has added a premium gin to its portfolio. Using water from Lake Bolmen in MalmA, Sweden, Right Gin has a base of five-times distilled US corn spirit and includes Sarawak black pepper from Borneo in...

Tuaca sets the tone for city campaigns.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Tuaca is launching its first national above-the-line campaign in the UK. Focusing on the brand's nine key UK cities of Leeds, London, Brighton, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bristol, Manchester, Belfast and...

Courvoisier offer marks Father's Day.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Beam Global UK is encouraging consumers to try higher marques of Cognac this Father's Day by offering a complimentary sample of Courvoisier VSOP when they buy a bottle of Courvoisier VS. More than 70,000 bottles...

Evian sponsors Wimbledon.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Christine Boggis Evian has been signed up as the official bottled water of the Wimbledon tennis championship for the next five years. Brand owner Danone is investing AGBP3 million in a marketing...

New sweet range from Hancocks.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Hancocks Cash and Carry has launched an 18-strong confection ery range exclusively for independent retailers. From Turkish confectioner Solen, the range includes Jingle, a pack of three chocolate -filled biscuits....

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - Drench campaign is go.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Britvic is rolling out a AGBP5.5 million marketing campaign for water brand Drench, featuring a break dancing Brains from Thunderbirds. Running with the strapline: "Brains perform better when hydrated", the...

Pringles on-pack promotion revives summer football spirit.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) England may not have qualified for Euro 2008, but this doesn' mean football is totally off the agenda this summer, according to Pringles. Crisps manufacturer P&G is launching Join the Dream Team , a promotion...

In brief.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) l United Biscuits is relaunching its Multigrain Hula Hoops with new multipack flavours and revamped packaging. The two new multipacks are Classic - which contains Cheese & Onion, Salt & Vinegar, and Salted...

Snacks face challenge as Scots opt for law change.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Snacks have had to weather a number of storms in recent years, taking it on the chin from the health lobby when it came to salt, fat, sugar, additives - and now the sector is up against a new threat in the shape...

The shop with a bar behind.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Ian Loftus isn' your typical jeans and T-shirt off-licence worker, or even a slacks-and-braces posh wine merchant. The former fashion designer dresses like a rock star and has a confident and cool, almost...

Top Tip.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) "In uncertain economic times, businesses that reduce marketing spend to achieve a quick fix are usually misguided. Effective marketing can help organisations to cope with the problems of increasingly uncertain...

COMPETITION.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) The surge in rosA's popularity shows no sign of abating this summer, so here's your chance to get hold of some bottles of Faustino rosado Rioja. Faustino is as passionate about its rosado wines as it is for...

Dates for your diary.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) June 2 Sweet Bordeaux food and wine matching lunch hosted by the Union des Grands Vins Liquoreux de Bordeaux, The Thomas Cubitt, Victoria, London (emma@eviva.co.uk) June 3 The Independent Winegrowers Association...

On a gender bender?
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) You can' underestimate the importance of being greeted by a friendly face. No such luck for bemused LIWF visitors clambering off the train at Custom House, who were treated to one of the most bizarre responsible...

TALKING HEADS.
May 30, 2008... (From Off Licence News) When did you first develop a passion for wine? I started working in a wine shop when I was 18 and was lucky enough to have a really energetic manager whose enthusiasm for wine just rubbed off on me, and I've been...

Inflation Threatens an Era of Growth.
May 30, 2008... (From The Moscow Times) Editor's note: This is the first in a series of reports about the key challenges facing Russia today. It's early evening at the upscale Scandinavia restaurant, and its courtyard a few meters off Tverskaya...

Sarkozy Saves Special Dinner Spot for Putin.
May 30, 2008... (From The Moscow Times) The attention paid both in Paris and at home to the beginning of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit to France on Thursday was just the latest indication of Putin's place in the political pecking order. ...

Zyuganov Says He Will Remain Head of Party.
May 30, 2008... (From The Moscow Times) Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov on Thursday dismissed reports that his party was planning to replace him as leader. Zyuganov said the Kremlin and pro-Kremlin parties were trying to discredit the party...

Academy Votes Against Putin's Friend.
May 30, 2008... (From The Moscow Times) In an apparent show of independence, the Russian Academy of Sciences failed to grant full membership to a government-connected academic who had been widely tipped as the next head of the country's most eminent...

Kremlin Publishes Letters on Corruption.
May 30, 2008... (From The Moscow Times) In the latest sign the Kremlin is focusing its message on the issue of corruption, its web site has posted excerpts from letters written by Russians complaining about the problem and proposing solutions. ...

Critical Newspaper Ordered Out of Offices.
May 30, 2008... (From The Moscow Times) City Hall is trying to evict the daily newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta from its offices in retaliation for its criticism of Mayor Yury Luzhkov, the newspaper's editor and owner said Thursday. The newspaper...

Shuvalov Backs Mining Merger Deal.
May 30, 2008... (From The Moscow Times) First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov on Thursday said the government would support a proposed deal between billionaires Vladimir Potanin and Alisher Usmanov aimed at creating a global mining giant. "The...

Oil Exec Accused Of $1Bln Tax Fraud.
May 30, 2008... (From The Moscow Times) The Interior Ministry is accusing a top executive of a large oil company of evading nearly $1 billion in taxes, it said in a statement Thursday. A ministry source said the executive used to work in TNK, or...

When People Act Like Animals.
May 30, 2008... (From The Moscow Times) Oeoee eae iuou: quiet as a mouse To Our ReadersThe Moscow Times welcomes letters to the editor. Letters for publication should be signed and bear the signatory's address and telephone number. Letters to...

Lawyer Says Arbat Target of Raiders.
May 29, 2008... (From The Moscow Times) Just a few months ago, the Arbat Prestige store on Prospekt Mira was so jammed on Friday evenings that women had to wait 20 minutes in line to make a purchase. But on a recent visit, Yekaterina Pavlova was stunned...

City's Top-End Office Rents Double in a Year.
May 29, 2008... (From The Moscow Times) Top-end office rates in central Moscow are now the second-priciest in the world after occupancy costs almost doubled over the past year, a survey released Wednesday said. Occupancy costs for offices in the...

Fish Tanks and Fugu.
May 29, 2008... (From The Moscow Times) Yet another Japanese eatery opening may not seem very remarkable in a city that is host to hundreds of sushi bars, but the new Misato restaurant is noteworthy for several reasons. For starters, it is huge,...