Allied Domecq: cactus problems don't spike growth

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Allied Domecq: gearing up to splash the cash

Competition in the spirits industry is getter hotter as acquisitions and partnerships continue. Allied Domecq has made a number of small-scale acquisitions recently, but is surely regretting its withdrawal from the Seagram sale. Although Allied is still the global number two, it should do some serious shopping pretty soon, before it's too late.

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Allied Domecq: no need for Seagram

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Amazon: biting off more than it can chew?

Amazon has announced its entry into the UK food & grocery market, extending its comprehensive non-food proposition to include over 22,000 food & grocery lines. While the pureplay has made it clear that its offer is at the earliest of evolutionary stages, Verdict believes that it is highly unlikely to have a significant impact on the UK food & grocery market in its current incarnation.

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American Medical Association: not so sweet on soda tax plans

The news that the American Medical Association (AMA) has rejected proposals for taxing sugary soft drinks, in order to tackle obesity, will please the nation's soda producers which maintain that consumers have the right to make their own food and drink choices. However, with carbonates growth falling, consumers already appear to be making healthier choices, without the taxes.

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Ancient grains stage a revival in the packaged food industry

Packaged food and beverage markets are seeing a growing influx of new products featuring grains that were favored by civilizations thousands of years ago. According to Datamonitor's Productscan Online database of new products, new food and beverage launches featuring a short list of ancient grains, including chia, have doubled since 2005 as manufacturers jump on the latest health food band wagon.

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Anheuser-Busch: beer that pleases the doctor

As summer dieting begins to kick in, beer-lovers no longer need to worry: a new ultra-low-calorie beer is being rolled out across the US. Alongside 'malternatives' such as Smirnoff Ice, such innovations are bringing a much-needed new dimension to the otherwise stagnant beer market.

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Anheuser-Busch: drinking to price rises

The American brewer has managed to raise prices and still boost volume sales both domestically and abroad. Even the September terrorist attacks only look set to have a limited effect, as increased off-trade sales make up for the slowdown in hotels and restaurants. Anheuser should continue its strategy of raising prices in the US and expanding internationally.

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Anheuser-Busch: drinks promotion downed

While the Bud Pong promotional game was officially centered on water drinking, many players used beer instead, leaving Anheuser accused of promoting excessive alcohol consumption. Drinks companies must consider the effects of such campaigns carefully: the promotion of heavy drinking, no matter how inadvertent, risks creating an unfavorable legal environment for all drinks marketers.

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Anheuser-Busch: going light

With the UK launch of Michelob Ultra, Anheuser-Busch [BUD] is revisiting old ground. The move comes just two years after the brewer pulled Bud lite, a similar low calorie beer alternative. Although consumer health concerns have risen since then, success for the new variant depends on effective communication and deciphering the extent to which UK consumer attitudes to beer are changing.

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