30 May Surprise! Not… illegal booze flourishes in SA
The illegal alcohol trade has grown dramatically in the past year - even overtaking the legal wine and cider trade in SA, according to research by Euromonitor.
25 May Tiger Brands’ R100m VC fund launches in June
Here's what to know about Tiger Brands' new venture capital fund of R100m aimed at assisting entrepreneurs who are either directly or indirectly linked to the food and beverages sector.
21 May More takes on the Heineken-Distell waltz
Only months after cancelling investment in SA, the world’s second-largest brewer, Heineken, is in talks to buy SA drinks producer Distell, its main cider competitor and the country’s largest non-brewing player.
19 May Deal brewing between Heineken and Distell
After years of speculation of a possible deal between the world’s second largest beer group Heineken and SA’s leading wine and spirits maker Distell, is hatching.
29 Apr Frustration as Vinpro court case is postponed
Vinpro's court case against South Africa’s national government - contesting specific aspects of the liquor bans - has been postponed to August 2021.
22 Apr Afriplex launches new functional vegan milks
Paarl-based Afriplex, supplier of innovative functional ingredients, has taken a step into the alternative dairy space, offering clients multiple possibilities for novel NPD.
21 Apr Castle Lite launches in sleek 410ml cans
SAB's Castle Lite is no stranger to packaging innovation, and it's likely first up to launch in a stylish 410ml slimline can.
21 Apr SA’s sugar tax is having an impact – new research
Three years ago South Africa introduced Africa's first major tax on sugar-sweetened beverages based on grams of sugar. The tax now stands at about 11% of the price per litre.
20 Apr SA wine industry was trending down – before Covid
In the past five years, the local wine industry has shrunk by 10%. This is almost expected, because the global wine industry has lost 2.5-million hectares of grape vineyards since the 1990s.
20 Apr Coca-Cola’s Africa bottler heading to the JSE
Coca-Cola Beverages Africa's planned JSE listing is set to hand investors ownership in the continent's largest bottler of non-alcoholic products.
19 Apr South Africa has the cheapest beer in the world
Here's some good news as antidote to the daily deluge of bad news that South Africans suffer: there is no country where beer costs less than right here in SA, according to new research!
05 Apr Winners of SA Plastics Pact Reuse Innovation Challenge 2021
The South African Plastics Pact in partnership with the MAVA Foundation recently held a contest for innovative reusable packaging solutions. Here is news of the winners....
04 Apr SAAFFI seminar 2021! Great programme for this (virtual) annual event
The 2021 annual SAAFFI seminar themed “Save the Planet – WAKE UP, GROW UP, SPEAK UP!”, aims to highlight the initiatives in the flavour, fragrance and related sectors that are influencing thought and practice in the areas of environmental awareness and sustainability.
03 Apr Introducing Freely – another local hard seltzer hits shelves
With hard seltzers now a buzzword on the South African drinks scene, Freely has been launched in step with the growing global trend towards alternative refreshment for a lighter, more balanced lifestyle.
29 Mar Bag-in-box wine takes another step up in SA
Keeping in line with consumers’ need for value without compromising on taste or quality, two well-known premium brands have launched their wine in convenient bag-in-box packaging.
15 Mar Shoprite & Checkers aid struggling local wine industry
Shoprite and Checkers have purchased more than 1.5 million litres of wine from South African farms to help ease the burden brought on by Covid-19.
14 Mar Global hard seltzer craze hits South Africa
SAB's has launched Flying Fish Seltzer - officially entering this fast-track global category - and simultaneously with beverage giant Distell's entry!
14 Mar Distell enters the hard seltzer game!
Vawter Hard Seltzer has been newly launched by Distell, a move that's taken a surprising while for the market leader in the ready-to-drink (RTD) category in South Africa.
01 Mar Stylish packaging revamp for Esprit
Distell's 36-year old Esprit brand, is sporting new-look packaging and a conversion from paper to pressure-sensitive labels.
01 Mar The Switch Energy Drinks story
Have you heard of Switch Energy Drinks? Me neither... but here is a local company but six years old that's selling millions of its cans in 12 countries. Here's an interview with its founder and MD....