Australia has a world class reputation for high quality, clean and green food products. To Chinese investors this is particularly attractive, as food safety is a perennial concern for consumers amidst scandals related to health concerns in recent years. The growing middle class is willing and able to pay a premium for peace of mind.

Guess who reported cartel shenanigans to the authorities? It was AB-InBev. The world's major brewer initiated an anti-trust probe into beer price-fixing, after telling authorities last year that it had detected an industry cartel. It was the news agency Reuters, which broke the scandal.

Statistically, a new craft beer brewery opens every six days in Australia. The industry has grown by almost 200 percent in the past seven years. Fifty-two new breweries, brewpubs and contract brewers opened in 2018, bringing the number of craft breweries to 585 - a 197 percent increase since 2011, or one brewery for every 41,500 people (aged over 18).

Not long, and Australians will be the first to have mutated into setteesauruses. Nowadays you can basically shop for everything online without having to get up from your sofa or settee.

India’s anti-trust watchdog raided the offices of Heineken-controlled United Breweries, Carlsberg and AB-InBev on 11 October 2018 as part of an investigation of price-fixing allegations, Reuters news agency reported.

Krones, one of the world’s leading manufacturer of filling and packaging technology, has acquired the business operations and assets of Shanghai Xiantong Equipment Installation effective 1 September 2018. The Chinese company has been a partner and supplier to the German company in the field of process technology for many years. Krones Taicang has partnered successfully with Xiantong on the production, installation, and commissioning of process technology equipment for the past 20 years in order to best serve the local market. For example, Krones’ first MicroCube compact brewhouse was manufactured by Xiantong.

Everybody is talking about gin. And drinking it, too. On a recent visit to Adelaide, I was taken to Ambleside Distillers in Hahndorf, a tourist town about 20 minutes by car away from Adelaide.

Japan’s beer and beverage maker Kirin Holdings recently announced a strategic review of its Australian Lion-Dairy and Drinks unit, looking at a possible sale among its options.

From October 8th to 13th, Santiago will be all set to host Santiago Beer Week, welcoming beers and participants from all Latin America.

Wooing those Millennial couch potatoes. After AB-InBev bought the online alcohol retailer BoozeBud in early August 2018, the 7-Eleven Group has acquired a majority stake in the alcohol delivery start-up Tipple. The transaction was announced on 14 August 2018. No financial details were disclosed.