Asahi Beverages buys South Australian distiller Never Never

Australia | With the craft beer craze fading, Asahi has ventured into spirits and acquired the super-premium distillery Never Never from South Australia, best known for its award-winning gin brands.

Australia’s Chuck Hahn opens another brewery

Australia | If you have ever been to Australia and sampled a Hahn, James Squire, Kosciuszko, Malt Shovel or Lord Howe Island-branded beer, you have drunk a beer designed by Dr Charles “Chuck” Hahn, an American brewer from Golden, Colorado, who arrived in Australia in 1981.

China lifts tariffs on Australian wine

Australia | China lifted anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs on Australian wine from 29 March, ending three years of punitive levies and offering long-awaited relief to Australian wine producers.

Korea’s beer imports from Japan rise again after trade dispute

South Korea | Japan reclaimed the top spot in South Korea’s beer imports in 2023, five years after the start of the Tokyo-Seoul trade dispute, local media reported in January.

Halving India’s tariffs would make Scotch whisky meaningfully cheaper

India | Consumers in India could enjoy a 7.5 percent reduction in spirits prices should the region’s 150 percent tariff laws be halved, Diageo said on 30 January upon releasing its first half 2024 figures.

Australia | A skyrocketing excise tax, debt from the pandemic period, increased production costs, and depressed consumer demand have created a perfect storm for the country’s 600 or so independent craft brewers.

South Korea | GoldenBlue, a whiskey maker and distributor of imported liquors, said it has disposed of its remaining inventory of Carlsberg beer, in the aftermath of a so-called gapjil (abuse of power) with its Danish partner. The discarded beer is said to be worth nearly USD 380,000.

South Korea | Diageo, the world’s leading drinks company, must be running out of unique marketing ideas. Like SABMiller before, it is going for pop-up venues to push its brands into select markets.

New Zealand | Deep Creek ran into financial difficulty after a physical problem with some cans shipped to China caused a product recall, which left a big hole in its accounts. The craft brewer was forced to file for liquidation at the end of October.

Australia | Australia’s family-owned Coopers Brewery credited the recovery of draught beer sales, as well as higher malted barley sales, for boosting its financial year results.