Since July 1, 2018, Markus Gerner has been strengthening the team of Ziemann Holvrieka GmbH, Ludwigsburg, as Head of Sales Western Europe. “In addition to his professional qualifications, Markus Gerner has many years of practical and sales experience in the European brewing, beverage, food and dairy industry, which makes him the ideal contact person for our customers”, explained Florian Schneider, the company’s Head of Sales EMEA.

As the EU lurches towards a ban on plastic drinking straws, anti-pollution campaigners are advocating more far-reaching measures. In October 2018, the umbrella NGO Break Free from Plastic, consisting of about 1,300 groups, including Greenpeace, released a global audit, which identifies Coke, Pepsi, and Nestle as being among a handful of businesses that are contributing most to ocean pollution.

Is BrewDog aiming to become the next Virgin group – the conglomerate that flogs everything from drinks to flowers and airline tickets? As of 2019, BrewDog will be taking to the skies with the launch of its own airline. In fact, the Scottish brewer has only announced a single round trip from London Stanstead to Columbus, Ohio, and only shareholders in BrewDog (they are called Equity Punks) are eligible to buy a ticket.

Emerging markets have always spelt “volatility”. There have been ups and downs. This year quite a few emerging markets have stumbled and AB-InBev is bearing the brunt. As was expected by many analysts, AB-InBev felt compelled to cut its dividend on 25 October 2018, as it reported weaker profits and lower volumes in several of its key markets in the third quarter 2018.

Are we “past beer”? Some investors clearly think that in the brewing industry heady deals are a thing of the past, and seek to put their money elsewhere. Having done nicely out of AB-InBev’s generous dividend pay-outs, two Belgian shareholders of AB-InBev, the families de Spoelberch and de Mévius, have taken to investing their spoils into other industries.

Warsteiner’s revolving doors keep on turning. After only 12 months on the job, Warsteiner’s Managing Director, Alessandra Cama, 51, handed in her resignation and will vacate her post in January 2019. She will be succeeded by Warsteiner’s CFO Christian Gieselmann, 47, who joined the brewer as recently as April this year. His predecessor on the job had lasted for less than a year. Warsteiner is now looking for a new CFO.

For over 40 years, Piero Perron was one of the figureheads of Italy’s brewing industry. He was President of Heineken Italia, the market leader with brands like Birra Moretti, Cruzcampo, Dreher, Heineken, Ichnusa and Mc Farland.

Independence seals are gaining ground around the world. During EurHop Rome Beer Festival, Unionbirrai, which represents Italian craft brewers, introduced a seal which is to protect true Italian craft and independent breweries.

The European Patent Office (EPO) in early October 2018 has upheld two patents on three brewing barleys, granted to both Heineken and Carlsberg in 2016, but they will be reduced in scope. As an EPO spokesperson told media, there is no longer the possibility of patenting features that are “of natural origin”. Therefore, there is now a “limited scope of protection”. However, the spokesperson was unable to explain exactly what is restricted by the patent.

What do we know about the Finns, except that they like to tango, sauna and spend their summers at lakes infested with killer mosquitos? That’s about it, or? Little did we know that the Finns have beaten a path to relaxation which only involves a pair of warm socks, internet access, a few cold ones and bags of crisps. To reach the Finnish Zen state of mind, you don’t need to book yourself into an expensive ashram where alcohol is forbidden and all you get to eat is unappetisingly vegan. All it takes is to read Miska Rantanen’s delightful, politically incorrect book and teach yourself this wholly egalitarian practice.