Since taking over the helm at Scottish & Newcastle, Tony Froggatt has steered a steady and by his own admission unspectacular course. Reporting on the brewer's six-month results, Olly Wehring found that Froggatt's approach has been positive for S&N but asks how long it will be before investors look for the company to step up the pace.

The post Froggatt takes the boring route to growth appeared first on Just Drinks.

In the second part of an exclusive interview with just-drinks, Diageo chief executive Paul Walsh talks to Olly Wehring about the company's recent acquisitions and future acquisition plans.

The post Walsh looks for disciplined acquisition strategy appeared first on Just Drinks.

As the largest drinks company in the world and owner of many of the best known and biggest selling spirits brands on the planet, Diageo has an unmatched international profile. In an exclusive interview, Diageo's chief executive, Paul Walsh, talks to Olly Wehring about the company's current performance across a range of markets and his outlook for the future.

The post Diageo’s world – the view from the top appeared first on Just Drinks.

Showing volume growth in an essentially flat market is an achievement but Australian brewing combine Lion Nathan sees the premiumisation of its product mix as the key to growth. Andrew Reeves, managing director of Lion Nathan Australia, spoke with just-drinks about the premiumisation trend, the impact of a new competitor and Lion’s interest in the RTD sector.

The post Just the Answer – Andrew Reeves appeared first on Just Drinks.

The European Forum for Responsible Drinking (EFRD) has a key role to play in articulating the industry view on EU alcohol policy, particularly as it awaits publication of the Commission’s Communication on alcohol. In this month’s Just the Answer interview, Alan Butler, EU corporate relations director at Diageo and EFRD chairman, outlines the trade body’s primary concerns regarding current and future EU policy.

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In this month’s Just the Answer, Gary Greenfield, managing director of Distell Europe, talks about South Africa’s largest drinks company’s international aspirations, not only for its flagship wine brand Nederburg but also for the liqueur Amarula Cream and Distell’s South African cider Savanna.

The post Just the Answer – Gary Greenfield, Distell appeared first on Just Drinks.

As managing director of SABMiller’s European division. Alan Clark has a diverse group of markets in his charge, including Russia, Italy, the Canary Islands and Romania. In the second part of this month’s double-header just-drinks interview, Clark discusses the differing challenges and opportunities facing the brewer across the region with Olly Wehring.

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This month’s just-drinks interview is a double-header, featuring two prominent executives from major international brewing groups operating in Europe. First, Olly Wehring discusses the challenges facing InBev in Central and Eastern Europe with the brewer’s zone president Alain Beyens. Look out for part two on Friday when Olly talks with Alan Clark, managing director of SABMiller’s Europe division.

The post The just-drinks interview – Alain Beyens appeared first on Just Drinks.

Wine Evolution is taking place in Paris on 29-30 January and just-drinks is providing updates live from the event, which brings together the leading lights from the wine world to discuss matters at the heart of the industry.

The post FRANCE: Wine Evolution 2007 – quote, unquote II appeared first on Just Drinks.

In our first Just the Answer interview of 2007, Dean Best spoke with Nick Blacknell, brand director for Beefeater at Pernod Ricard subsidiary Chivas Brothers, about the company’s ambitious re-launch of the established gin brand it acquired as part of the Allied takeover in 2005.

The post Just the Answer – Nick Blacknell, Beefeater appeared first on Just Drinks.

Coinciding with the publication of Diageo’s first-half results, this month’s just-drinks interview is with Andrew Morgan, president of Diageo’s European operations. Morgan took the opportunity to explain to Dean Best why amid a very positive group performance, the European division has failed to shine.

The post The just-drinks interview – Andrew Morgan appeared first on Just Drinks.

Despite being only a few days into 2007, attention is already turning towards the summer and the exhibition season. Earlier this month, the team that organises the biennial Bordeaux extravaganza Vinexpo came to London to discuss this year’s show. Olly Wehring met with Vinexpo president Jean-Marie Chadronnier to find out what attendees can look forward to.

The post The just-drinks interview – Jean-Marie Chadronnier appeared first on Just Drinks.

In this month’s Just the Answer interview, managing director of Beam UK Adrian McKeon spoke with Olly Wehring about the future of the Maxxium partnership, Beam’s relationship with the notoriously hard-nosed UK supermarkets and possible future acquisitions.

The post Just the Answer – Adrian McKeon appeared first on Just Drinks.

In the wake of a scandal in Australia and New Zealand where GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) was fined for misrepresenting the Vitamin C level of its Ribena brand, Graham Neale, general manager at Nutritional Healthcare UK, the GSK subsidiary that produces Lucozade, Ribena and Horlicks, takes the opportunity of this month’s Just the Answer interview to put his company’s side of the story and outline future plans for both Ribena and Lucozade.

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Synthetic corks and screw-caps may have once been frowned upon by wine cognoscenti, but no longer, and the growing popularity of alternative closures has put the natural cork industry under pressure. In this month’s just-drinks interview, Antonio Amorim, president of the world’s largest natural cork producer Amorim & Irmaos, puts the case for cork.

The post The just-drinks interview – Antonio Amorim appeared first on Just Drinks.

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Riding the twin waves of a booming premium spirits market and growth in Tequila, The Patrón Spirits Company has made great strides in a short space of time. In this month's Just the Answer interview, Dean Best speaks with the company’s COO John McDonnell, and Mike Hill, vice president, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, about the company’s rapid progress and premium ethos.

The post Just the Answer – Patrón Spirits Company appeared first on Just Drinks.

Given how many times the position of chief executive of Constellation Europe has changed hands recently, and the problems the company has faced in the crucial UK market, the more cynical observers might wonder if Troy Christensen had been handed something of a poisoned chalice. But speaking to Olly Wehring for this month’s just-drinks interview, Constellation’s new European CEO appears ready for the challenge.

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