Demand for Bud Light Platinum, the newest addition to the Bud Light megabrand, is outpacing expectations, Anheuser-Busch said on Monday.  In response, the company is expanding production of Bud Light Platinum to three breweries. Brewing has already begun in A-B’s St. Louis and Columbus, Ohio, breweries, with its Ft. Collins, Colo., brewery set to follow suit … >>>>

An award winning South West brewery has made the decision to re-launch under a different name in an attempt to grow business with local customers. West Dorset-based Art Brew will continue under its original name with existing customers, who are mostly in the South East of England, but will be known locally as The Chideock … >>>>

The wolds largest brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev on Monday said it delivered strong revenue growth in the quarter of 6.2%, with revenue per hl up 4.9%, driven by good performances in North America, Latin America North, Latin America South and APAC. On a constant geographic basis (i.e. eliminating the impact of faster growth in countries with … >>>>

Anheuser Busch on Monday announced that Miguel Patricio, currently Zone President, APAC, will become Chief Marketing Officer of AB InBev effective 1 July 2012, replacing Chris Burggraeve who will leave the company at the end of the year. A Portuguese national, Miguel joined Ambev in 1998 becoming its Chief Marketing Officer, before being appointed Vice … >>>>

Companhia de Bebidas das Américas (Ambev) on Monday reported its normalized consolidated EBITDA totaled R$ 3,390.3 million, an 8.8% organic growth, with the company’s consolidated volumes increasing by 4.3% as a result of positive volume growth in all its business units during the first quarter of 2012.

In Brazil, top line performance in beer … >>>>

The Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) has published a new report, Drinks Market Performance 2011 by Anthony Foley of DCU Business School, showing that the overall drinks market and alcohol consumption levels in Ireland were essentially static last year due to the to the deep recession and changing consumption patterns.

The report shows that … >>>>

Luboš Kastner, recent Shopper Marketing Manager* of Plzeňský Prazdroj, will become Director of Marketing and Trade Marketing of SABMiller Brands Europe on May 1, 2012. This section is responsible for development of global and regional portfolios of SABMiller brands.  Beside Pilsner Urquell and Gambrinus brands, among others, Mr. Kastner will be also responsible for Peroni … >>>>

There is still not much activity  in  the international grain markets. This is confirmed by several grain traders including Grainexx and Interbrau. Corn imports to China are picking up again. More quantities asked for and apparently also traded. It still remains very interesting how big their old crop demand is. Grainexx  believes it is still … >>>>

The Canadean Wheat Board (CWB) on Thursday released its April 2012 Pool Return Outlook (PRO) for the 2011-12 crop year. Wheat values have not changed from last month’s PRO. Milling durum values have increased by $1 to $3 per tonne, depending on grade and protein levels. Malting barley values are unchanged.

Wheat

Spring wheat … >>>>

Coopers Brewery has purchased America’s largest home brew brand, Mr Beer, in a move which consolidates Coopers at the head of the home brew market worldwide. Mr Beer is based in Tucson, Arizona and distributes home brew starter kits, concentrates and accessories to more than 14,000 stores across America as well as to consumers directly … >>>>

Krones, the world’s market leader for beverage filling and packaging technology, remained on course for success in 2011 despite the challenging macroeconomic environment. Sales revenue increased 14.1 % year-on-year from 2,173.3 million euros to 2,480.3 million euros.
With that, Krones has not only continued the strong growth trend from 2010 but also surpassed its previous … >>>>

Butcombe, the fastest growing Brewery in the West Country, now has the fastest growing major bottled ale brand in the UK (Source: Nielsen Scantrack Top Thirty Brewers Retail Sales 52 weeks to December 24th). Butcombe has enjoyed growth of its brands by a huge 317% during 2011.The growth is due to the expansion of its … >>>>

SABMiller on Monday announced a number of directorate and senior management changes that will all become effective from the date of this year’s annual general meeting on 26 July 2012. Meyer Kahn, who first joined the group in 1966, and who has been Chairman of SABMiller plc since its primary listing on the London … >>>>

Margaritas, the classic summer cocktail, are getting a fresh twist this summer with the national launch of Bud Light Lime Lime-a-Rita, the latest addition to the growing Bud Light portfolio, Anheuser-Busch said on Monday. “Blending the flavor of an authentic margarita with a refreshing splash of Bud Light Lime, Lime-a-Rita is an 8%* ABV margarita-flavored … >>>>

Britain’s pubs have seen a 6% fall in beer sales in the first quarter of 2012, as they bore the brunt of continued, huge rises in the tax on beer, according to the latest quarterly “Beer Barometer” from the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), issued on Friday. In contrast, off trade sales were up … >>>>

As the economy continues to improve, beverage alcohol sales are also on the rise.  But not all categories are feeling relief.  According to the Beverage Information Group’s Handbook Advance 2012, spirits and wine persisted in taking share away from the beer category in 2011, the only category to post a loss for the second year … >>>>

SABMiller plc on Thursday issued the following update on trading for the 12 months to 31 March 2012. The calculation of the organic growth rates excludes the impact of acquisitions and disposals on volumes and revenues, unless otherwise stated. On an organic basis lager volumes were 3% ahead of the prior year for both the … >>>>

The Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade group that tabulates production statistics for U.S. breweries, released its annual lists of the top 50 craft and overall brewing companies in the U.S.A., based on 2011 beer sales volume. Of the top 50 overall brewing companies, 36 are small and independent^¹ craft brewing companies¹,².

“In the last … >>>>

The physical market, especially in the feed grains, is for the time being by no means connected to MATIF in Paris or Chicago, Grainexx reports this week. There is a continuous demand, even for nearby positions, from the compound feed producers. Prices of feed barley are still unchanged to last week at 227 Euro/ton on … >>>>

Compañía de Cervecerías Unidas (CCU), the largest Chilean brewer and the second largest Argentine brewer, informed that the renewal of its board of directors was agreed by the shareholders’ meeting held in April. The members of the new Board, which were elected for a three-year term, are the following:

Guillermo Luksic Craig

Andrónico Luksic Craig… >>>>