According to media reports, there are more than AUD 450 million worth of wineries and land on the market. Such a fire sale would not have been imaginable ten years ago but there is a tidal wave of departures, from both small lifestyle dreams gone sour and big corporate investments now short of friendly bankers and cash.

A recent increase in the number of mid-strength drinkers is seen mainly in the state of northern New South Wales as the popularity of the style extends south from the Queensland border.

At the conference’s opening VLB-CEO Dr Josef Fontaine appeared to be very happy about the attendance and the lively interest in the transfer of knowledge. The three-day seminar was divided into different sections, starting with the raw materials malt and hops.

Rob Moodie, Chairman of the Government’s Preventative Health Taskforce, called the switch to drinks with higher alcohol content alarming. The Federal Government declared war on alcohol abuse in April last year, when it announced a 70 percent increase tax on alcopops, targeting young drinkers in particular.

Lion Nathan’s Chairman Geoff Ricketts said in April he expected the deal to be finalised by August or September, but according to the timetable in the agreement, the deal is not anticipated to be wrapped up until October.

“Family First”-Senator Steve Fielding, who cast the deciding vote on the first alcopop bill, said the forecasts bore out his decision to oppose the tax hike.

In recent months there has been continued speculation that Foster’s might merge with Coca-Cola Amatil. The rumour grew so strong that Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) felt compelled to respond to it at their Annual General Meeting on 22 May.

Symrise is investing in closer contact with its clients in the Middle East. The world’ s fourth-largest manufacturer of flavourings and fragrances has recently established a presence in Dubai, opening a branch office with 15 employees, whose primary duties will be to conduct local and regional sales as well as to coordinate the attendant marketing work. The new facilities also include two application laboratories, where flavourings and formulations will be adapted to local taste preferences.

The tender offer is in line with Kirin’s planned purchase of up to 49 percent of San Miguel Brewery shares, while San Miguel intends to keep a majority stake of at least 51 percent in the beer-making unit.

Commentators have argued that the tax was a cynical and selective tax grab when it was introduced last year. It still is. Evidently, the increased cost of alcopops led to people switching to straight spirits. While sales of bourbon-based alcopops dropped by 40 percent in the latter part of last year, business in wholesale bourbon rose by nearly 60 percent.