Sales of beer and quasi-beer beverages are expected to have declined in 2007 amid a flurry of new product launches.

All good things come to an end. After ten years of rising export volumes, Australian winemakers could lose their price advantage on the international market as the Australian dollar trades near a 23-year high and a record drought pushes up the cost of grapes.

Ad man John Singleton has sold his Bluetongue Brewery to Pacific Beverages, a joint venture between Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) and SABMiller.

Ok, they have been saying it for years. So what’s new? Well, it seems like Foster’s management will not be able to turn a deaf ear on what the analysts have to say for much longer.

It’s happened: The San Miguel Corporation, a Philippine concern, has signed a definitive agreement to sell J Boag & Son (Boag’s) to Lion Nathan for a total consideration of AUD 325 million (EUR 192 million)

Yet another bottle size came on the Australian market in November when Diageo introduced a 640mL ‘long neck’ bottle for Bundaberg Rum & Cola.

Lion Nathan has chosen a site in one of Auckland’s industrial suburbs for its new EUR 130 million brewery.

Ball announces plans to build beverage can plant in India

Ball Corporation announced today that its European subsidiary, Ball Packaging Europe, plans to build a beverage can manufacturing plant in India. The facility, which is expected to be located near Aurangabad in the state of Maharashtra, will be positioned strategically to supply the two-piece beverage can needs for the majority of existing and currently planned beverage can filling lines in India. Application procedures with the proper governmental agencies are in the process of being completed, and the first commercial cans are expected to be produced by mid-2009. “India is one of the largest potential beverage can markets in the world and we have long had an interest in doing business there,” said R. David Hoover, chairman, president and chief executive officer.

Canadean, the market research company, predicts that the consolidation process in China is far from complete.

Kirin Holdings aims to almost double in five years the profits of a new drug unit to be formed after it takes control of Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co in a USD 2.6 billion stock and cash deal.