Beverage

San Benedetto, an Italian market leader in the soft drinks sector, is continuing its efforts to protect the environment.

Natura Buona fruit juices (100% juice with zero added sugar, preservatives or colourings) are being given a new look to appeal more directly to end consumers.

Coca Cola Hellenic Bottling Company Bulgaria has invested more than €24 million in a new PET bottle production line which will double production capacity at the Kostinbrod plant in western Bulgaria.

Belgian beer giant Anheuser-Busch InBev has agreed to sell its Australian subsidiary Carlton & United Breweries to Japanese group Asahi for US $11.3 billion.

According to research by IWSR, 1.8% of the value of all global beverage alcohol is sold through e-commerce (2018 figures) despite regulation complexities.

As part of its sustainability programme, Lavazza has unveiled its first 100% compostable Eco Caps coffee capsules in London.

The environmental results achieved by Coca-Cola HBC Italia and presented on 27 June in its 15th Sustainability Report are truly exceptional. The four manufacturing units use exclusively energy from renewable sources and packaging is already 100% recyclable.

Ideal for packaging food and beverages in a controlled atmosphere, Atlas Copco's NGP and NGP+ molecular sieve nitrogen generators guarantee low operating costs and nitrogen purity levels from 95 to 99.999%.

Two of Japan’s biggest beer producers, Sapporo and Suntory, are working together to make cans lighter by designing almost 10% thinner lids. The aim is to cut aluminium usage by up to 3% and consequently reduce wastage and CO2 emissions.

The Riverside Company, a US private equity firm with a portfolio of more than 90 companies, has acquired Galvanina, a Rimini, Italy-based producer of  premium mineral water and traditional and organic soft drinks owned by the Mini family.

The historic Sanpellegrino mineral water and soft drinks brand posted 4% year-on-year sales growth in 2018 to reach €928 million, 56.9% of which was generated outside Italy.

Three food & beverage giants have recently announced major investments in Mexico.

The 2018 figures for wine production, wine consumption and international trade were officially announced by the OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine) at its headquarters in Paris on 11 April.

The Croatian company Naturalis aimed to strengthen the reputation of its brand, Cetina, by focusing not just on the strong connection with the place where its water flows but also on its purity and its perfect composition.

In step with the growth in popularity of higher-quality wines amongst American consumers, the New York-based giant Constellation Brands, owner of historic brands such as Ruffino (based in Italy’s Chianti region), Robert Mondavi, The Prisoner Wine Company and Meiomi in the United States, has sold all the brands in its portfolio priced below $11 per bottle to the family-owned company E.&J.…

The 2018 financial results posted by Lavazza confirm the group’s steady growth and increase in operating profitability. Consolidated revenue totalled €1.87 billion, 9.3% up on the previous year’s €1.71 billion.

Candia Italia, the Italian subsidiary of Sodiaal, one of France’s leading dairy cooperatives (the third largest European and fifth largest world milk producer), posted sales of 112 million litres of milk in 2018, including 22 million litres under the Candia brand name, 60 million litres under private labels and 30 million litres in the low-price segment.

Danone Manifesto Ventures (Danone group) has acquired a stake in Harmless Harvest, a US firm that sells fresh and organic coconut water produced using an exclusive microfiltration process.

Heineken has officially opened its first brewery in Mozambique in a ceremony attended by the country’s President Filipe Nyusi. The facility will produce the new Txilar brand beer using locally grown maize as well as other international brands such as Heineken, Amstel, Sagres and Strongbow.

In 2018 the United States imported $6.2 billion (around €5.5 billion) worth of wine, an increase of 4.9% compared to the previous year.