Industry News - In Brief
Cascade First Harvest Ale celebrate their ninth release
The wait is over for beer lovers around Australia, as the highly anticipated Cascade First Harvest Ale - regarded as the ‘jewel in the crown’ at Tasmania’s revered Cascade Brewery - hits the shelves at Australia’s leading liquor retail outlets.
Cascade First Harvest is a celebration of the freshest and best of the Tasmanian harvest and uses only the first hops and barley of the season. Well ahead of its time, it was the first beer produced in Australia to use freshly harvested “green” hops in its brew and is still the only one of its type crafted in Tasmania.
Cascade First Harvest is made in a single batch and historically sells out before the full snap of winter sets in. The 2010 release of Cascade First Harvest Ale is available now at premium retailers nationally. RRP: $23.99 per 330ml 6-pack. Each 330 ml bottle contains 1.4 standard drinks/5.5% ABV.
Coca-Cola Amatil senior management appointments
Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA), is pleased to announce the appointment of John Murphy, the former Managing Director of Fosters Australia, as Managing Director, Licensed/Alcohol for CCA Australasia, a newly created role. Mr. Murphy will commence at CCA on 1 July 2010.
Mr. Murphy joins CCA after a long and distinguished career in the alcohol and consumer goods areas, including 27 years at Fosters where he was MD of Fosters Australia until August 2006. Mr. Murphy was most recently CEO of Visy Australasia until August 2009.
Terry Davis, CCA’s Group Managing Director said: “I am delighted to welcome John to this new position at CCA as we lift the focus on the growth of our premium alcoholic beverage business. With the commissioning of our new Bluetongue Brewery over the next few weeks John’s enormous experience in the beer and alcohol industry will be invaluable assets to accelerate our organic growth plans for the business.”
Mr. Murphy said: “I am very excited to be joining the CCA team at a time of dynamic change in the alcohol industry which is seeking a market leader in innovation, brand development, retail support and distribution. These are capabilities that CCA has invested in over many years to provide the very best customer and consumer experience.”
Taylors scoops gold at major international wine show
Taylors Wines has been awarded four gold medals at the 2010 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. The four gold medals were awarded to wines spanning three different Taylors ranges. They include the 2008 Taylors Shiraz, 2008 Jaraman Chardonnay, 2005 St Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon and 2005 St Andrews Riesling.
Solely made up of wine professionals, the jury of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles brings together elite international wine experts from 40 different countries every year. This year, the Concours Mondial took place in Palermo (Sicilia).
Mitchell Taylor, third generation Managing Director for Taylors Wines is delighted with the win. “I couldn’t be happier with these results. Awards like these help show the world that Australia continues to produce excellent wines. It couldn’t come at a better time either, as next week I will be in the UK with a number of other family wine producers, proving that Australia makes some of the best wines in the world,” Taylor said.
“My family business is focused on producing premium wines from our estate in Clare Valley and these gold medals reinforce our ability to supply world-class wines. I’m delighted to see the breadth of our success across four different varieties from three different ranges,” Taylor said.
Australia's first ‘perfect’ wine – Campbells Rare Rutherglen Muscat
A small family-owned winery in Rutherglen has made the first wine in Australia's history to be awarded the ‘perfect’ score of 100/100 by the world’s most authoritative and widely read wine journal. Campbells Merchant Prince Rare Rutherglen Muscat has been awarded the ultimate accolade by New York-based Wine Spectator magazine which has a readership of more than 2.5 million wine lovers across the globe.
In over 30 years of existence Wine Spectator has reviewed more than 11,000 Australian wines but until this week had never found the ‘perfect’ Australian wine. Campbells is celebrating 140 years of family winemaking this year and is a founding member of Australia’s First Families of Wine, a group of 12 wineries combining 1200 years of family and intergenerational winemaking.
Campbells Merchant Prince Rare Rutherglen Muscat is available direct from the Cellar Door for $110 for 375ml and in limited quantities at leading retailers across Australia and key export markets such as the US, UK and Scandinavia.
Distillers raise the bar with new responsible marketing principles
As part of its commitment to promote a responsible drinking culture in Australia, the Distilled Spirits Industry Council of Australia (DSICA) has adopted a comprehensive and progressive set of standards governing the way spirit-based products are marketed in Australia.
Going beyond advertising in traditional media, the DSICA Statement of Responsible Drinking Practices for Alcohol Advertising and Marketing defines the principles for promotional activity on social networking sites; product placement in movies, video games and music videos; the role of energy additives; responsible drinking labelling; and use of the term „Schoolies.
“While the Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code (ABAC) regulates the content of advertising in traditional media very well, the new DSICA Statement provides - for the first time - clarity and governance surrounding new media, product development and packaging and on-premise activity,” said Stephen Riden, Information and Research Manager for DSICA.
“This is the first time that an alcohol industry body has formalised a comprehensive set of guidelines that cover all areas of marketing,” Mr Riden added.
Smirnoff Mule to give RTD sales a kick
Diageo Australia is investing over $2 million into the launch of the new Smirnoff™Mule RTD. The original 1940s drink of Smirnoff™21 vodka, ginger beer and lime will be available nationwide in a convenient RTD format in the on and off premise from March 2010. Smirnoff™Mule is predominantly targeted at the male demographic and taps into occasions where memorable moments are celebrated with mates. To leverage sales of Smirnoff™ Mule RTD, Diageo will be investing in outdoor and digital media opportunities.
“Smirnoff™Mule is another example of what the innovation pipeline at Diageo can deliver to drive the category and sales for our customers nationally. Diageo will continue to invest heavily into innovation of the RTD category as well as support on and off premise retail to drive incremental sales of Smirnoff. The Smirnoff Mule copper coloured packaging will also create greater shelf impact and visibility in store,” said Jonathan Curnow, Innovation director, Diageo Australia.
