Pernod Sees "Gradual Recovery" in US; Absolut Benefits from Price Adjustment in
FILED SEPTEMBER 2, 2010
Pernod Ricard said they saw a "very gradual recovery" of consumer spending in the US in the fiscal year ended June 30. Sales were "stable" with a "marked improvement" in the second half of the year. Recall that Diageo also reported improvements in the second half. Read More

Consumer Environment Not So Rosy, Says B-F
FILED SEPTEMBER 1, 2010
For awhile it seemed things were looking up. Many wine and spirits companies were reporting slight improvements at the on-premise and consumers trading up. But in a conference call today for the first quarter ended July 31, Brown-Forman execs were singing a different tune. It seems the on-premise and consumer environment in the US isn't doing as well as execs anticipated when they announced their fiscal year results in June. Read More

Washington State Hotbed of Controversy
FILED AUGUST 31, 2010
Expect to see more donations to the anti-privatization campaign in Washington, deemed "Protect Our Communities," from beer and wine distributors across the country. The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) is asking distributors for more contributions early on, as mail-in ballots start going out in mid-October. Read More

WA: Beer Distributors Donate $2 Million to Anti-Privatization Group
FILED AUGUST 30, 2010
The line is being drawn between beer and wine distributors versus spirits distributors. The brewers and beer distributors are uniting forces against Washington ballot Initiative 1100 (supported by Costco) and I-1105 (supported by Southern-Odom and Young Read More

Control States Slow in July, while Private States Gain
FILED AUGUST 27, 2010
Control states lost a little bit of momentum from the 12-month period to the 4-week period in July. The loss is slight though and the numbers are still solid. Meanwhile, private states as measured by Nielsen largely improved in the 4-weeks, particularly luxury and value spirits (strangely enough). Read More