Diageo sees first sales decline since the pandemic

United Kingdom | What’s going on? First there was the rumour that Diageo could be a takeover target. And only three weeks later Reuters suggests that Diageo’s CEO should be sacked, although she has only been at the helm for a year.

Trial date set in Diageo black mould court case

United Kingdom | Ten years after a couple first filed a lawsuit against Diageo over claims that the drinks firm’s whisky casks stored at a nearby whisky warehouse were responsible for black mould at their property, a trial date has finally been set for March 2025.

Heineken Ireland to distribute Molson Coors’ brands

Ireland | Heineken Ireland has agreed to take on the Irish rights to distribute Molson Coors’ beer brands, including Madri Excepcional, Carling, Franciscan Well, Molson Canadian, Miller Genuine Draft, Staropramen, Cobra, Blue Moon, Rekorderlig, and Aspall.

German brewers: Soccer championships no longer boost sales

Germany | The hoped-for summer beer sales boost has failed to materialise for German brewers. Despite the European football championship taking place in their own country, beer sales continued to fall in the first half of 2024.

The Netherlands | Heineken took a one-time impairment of EUR 874 million (USD 949 million) for the decline in valuation of its stake in China’s largest brewer.

Decluttering: Pernod Ricard sells bulk of wine unit

France | Pernod Ricard, the Paris-listed drinks firm, said on 17 July, that it will sell the majority of its wine portfolio to the owners of Australia's Accolade Wines, disposing of a dragging division to focus on its core business of spirits.

BrewDog to give up carbon negative claim

United Kingdom | The brewer and pub company BrewDog will let its claim to be a carbon negative brewery lapse, exiting the carbon credits market from November.

United Kingdom | Pub group and brewer Marston's has left the brewing industry after agreeing to sell its 40 percent stake in its UK joint venture with Carlsberg for GBP 206 million (USD 262 million).

The Big Brewers’ big bet on non-alcoholic beverages

United Kingdom | By taking over Pepsi bottler and soft drinks firm Britvic for USD 4.2 billion on 8 July, Carlsberg believes it will be better prepared to compensate declining beer consumption in Europe.

Mikkeller is making money from operations for the first time in five years

Denmark | Bjergsø Holding, which owns Danish craft brewers Mikkeller and WarPigs, as well as stakes in various on-premise operations, recently (25 June) published its annual report 2023.