Germany | The drinks delivery start-up flaschenpost (a pun on “message in a bottle”) was sold to the Oetker Group, a food and beverage conglomerate, for allegedly EUR 1 billion (USD 1.2 billion). The spectacularly expensive deal makes observers question the rationale behind it.

United Kingdom | Guinness is recalling cans of its non-alcoholic stout because of contamination fears, just two weeks after they were introduced, the BBC reported on 11 November 2020. Guinness 0.0 was launched to much fanfare in supermarkets on 26 October, having taken the brewer four years to develop.

United Kingdom | Trade bodies fear mass redundancies and permanent closure of venues due to the coronavirus crisis. It is believed that one in four pubs could go under, following a sector wide survey in October 2020 by trade bodies UK Hospitality, the British Institute of Innkeeping, and the British Beer & Pub Association.

Denmark | Due to consumers’ growing predilection for all things healthy and nice, Carlsberg seeks to expand its range of non-alcoholic drinks and hard seltzers.

United Kingdom | Irish brewer Guinness has become the latest to offer a non-alcoholic pint, announcing the release of its first ever non-alcoholic stout, Guinness 0.0.

Europe | The concept of “total beverage company” is having a comeback. There was a time when only Foster’s and SABMiller styled themselves such. Now the idea is proving attractive again.

Sweden | Investment firm Röko has acquired 70 percent of Sweden’s leading independent craft brewery, Oppigards Bryggeri, from founder and CEO Björn Falkeström, who will retain 30 percent.

United Kingdom | While other pub chains announced plans to close some venues and warned over job cuts, BrewDog has confirmed that it seeks to open 20 new bars across the UK and internationally. There are already more than 100 bars in its estate.

United Kingdom | Heineken's UK pub business, Star Pubs and Bars, was fined GBP 2 million (EUR 2.2 million) by the pub industry watchdog, after forcing tenants to sell “unreasonable levels” of its own beers and ciders.

Germany | The Federal Court of Justice overturned a ruling by a lower court in Düsseldorf, which had argued in April 2019 that the case against Carlsberg in the so-called German beer cartel had lapsed. Now the case needs to be retried.