Royal Grolsch: reliance on US could limit growth

Dutch brewer Grolsch has posted a 17% increase in first half profits in 2007, despite a price fixing scandal in the Netherlands. Grolsch has attributed a large part of this growth to a new distribution deal in the US with Anheuser Busch. However, Grolsch should not rely solely on the US to drive profits and should work to enhance its image in its domestic market.

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New drinks review: new packaging to get cool reception

Drinks manufacturers are developing novel packaging to get their products noticed, including new technology which can cool the contents. This month's scout of Productscan records a super-cold soft drink and cooling beer keg, underlining the fact that this technology has the potential to be used in most sectors of the drinks industry.

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New drinks review: pure water reaches new spiritual heights

Bottled water makers have been making increasingly exaggerated claims about the health benefits of their brands, but a new variety that recently featured on the Productscan database appears to top all of them. The Spiritual Water brand claims to help purify the mind as well as the body, containing Biblical text and images to inspire the drinker.

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New drinks review: developing drinks for all occasions

The growing health trend has seen the release of an array of niche products, as a look at the latest launches on Productscan reveals. One such product is a new bottled water that has been created especially for diabetics, highlighting how drinks manufacturers attempt to get ahead of the competition by offering something different.

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New drinks review: liqueurs tap into the green trend

As consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about green issues, it is perhaps inevitable that the beverage industry would take note and focus on making its products more eco-friendly. This month's Productscan database reveals the launch of a liqueur that has taken the unusual step of offsetting its carbon emissions, perhaps highlighting an up-and-coming trend in the consumer market.

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Beer and ale: top flavors in new global product launches

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InBev: Berkshire Hathaway approves proposed takeover

The second largest shareholder in Anheuser-Busch has given its approval to the proposed takeover bid by InBev NV, reports suggest. InBev's $65 a share offer comes at a time when volume sales in the off-trade market are outperforming volume sales in the on-trade market. Although the takeover would create the world's largest brewer by volume, the motives of the shareholder remain questionable.

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InBev: reaching out for a taste of American beer

InBev has had its latest acquisition offer for Anheuser-Busch rejected, as the Busch family try to defend their control over the company. However, given its ambitions to push further into the lucrative US beer market, InBev is unlikely to give up without a fight.

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Budweiser: still fighting over brand ownership

Anheuser-Busch has lost its latest case against long running rival Budejovicky Budvar over the use of the Budweiser brand name. The European court's ruling that Anheuser-Busch should not have rights to the brand throughout the EU is a blow to the US firm but a positive for Budvar, which has gained good publicity over the years from its Bud battles.

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New drinks review: developing drinks that make pregnant women bloom

Soft drinks makers are continually looking for ways to enhance their sales with products that target niche groups of society. This month's review of new product launches finds a beverage that is designed for pregnant women, targeting a niche that has previously had little attention from the soft drinks market.

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