Organic ales, lagers and pilsners are increasingly squeezing their way into retail coolers alongside non-organic beers. With Wal-Mart’s decision to go big time into organic food and Anheuser-Busch’s launch of two organic beers in 2006, “organic” has become mainstream -- and big business.

FEMSA will continue to be the exclusive brewer, distributor, marketer and seller of Heineken beer in Brazil.

Coca-Cola makes its biggest acquisition ever

Coca-Cola Co. said it agreed to acquire Energy Brands Inc., also known as Glaceau, for USD 4.1 billion in cash in a move to boost its presence in the fast-growing “enhanced-water” and energy-drink markets.

SABMiller reported a 10 percent rise in annual earnings for the year to 31 March 2007 but warned over rising commodity prices, especially aluminium beer cans.

In the second half of 2007, Mexico’s number one brewer, Grupo Modelo, will start to import and distribute Carlsberg.

Following consumer protest that its flavoured alcoholic beverage Spykes invites underage drinking, Anheuser-Busch decided to pull the product off the market.

Looks like the competition watchdogs are waking up to the perils of too much market consolidation. In an effort to maintain some sort of – even limited – competition, Mexico’s authorities have said “no” to FEMSA’s acquisition of juice maker Jugos del Valle.

Call it Argentine whispers or strong-arm tactics. Coca-FEMSA let it be known through the media that it was interested in buying the German-owned Isenbeck brewery. Was Isenbeck pleased? Well, …

Happy with the outcome of their three-year probation period, Heineken USA and FEMSA Cerveza, Mexico’s number two brewer, agreed on a ten-year contract.

The Latrobe brewery, which was closed down by InBev and then sold to City Brewing, has been given a new lease on life with a contract to brew the Samuel Adams beer.