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In the next three to six years, moving drinks around the world could become a paperless exercise, as both Brexit and the pandemic have accelerated the shift to digital. This was one of the key messages from the WSTA Industry Summit panel discussion on global trade, yesterday.

Direct-to-consumer sales made up half of all English and Welsh wine purchases in 2020, according to new research from WineGB.

This week marks Bordeaux Day – two days of tastings hosted by the Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB). The London session is on Wednesday 8 September at Camden House, while the Manchester session takes place on Thursday 9 September at Oglesby Atrium, Stoller Hall.

The Co-op is ambitious in its desire to be a business at the forefront of sustainable retailing, and this has inspired the drinks team to look at a number of planet-friendly initiatives. Sonya Hooks speaks with the Co-op's head of drinks, Simon Cairns, to find out more:

Although still in its infancy in the UK, the hard seltzers category looks like it has plenty of potential with UK consumers. Sonya Hook reports:

Earlier this year Virgin Wines floated on London’s AIM market following strong growth.

The buzz around hard seltzers has led to a raft of producers launching into the category. Sonya Hook rounds up the brands vying for attention

Shopping local and buying more sustainable products are just two trends accelerated by the pandemic. And both are proving important to the gin category, finds Lucy Britner

By International Cider Challenge (ICC) Chairman, James Finch:

Distill Ventures was born out of a realisation that emerging spirits and drinks producers were being held back by numerous barriers, including limited access to resources.

Wildjac Distillery’s founders didn’t choose the best time to start their new business, but now they are thriving. Sonya Hook finds out more:

Community Alcohol Partnerships (CAP), which works with retailers to prevent under-age drinking, has reported substantial reductions in the supply of alcohol to children in areas where it has created local partnerships.

The term ready-to-drink hardly seems adequate these days to describe a category that has fractured and fragmented into almost as many style variations as there are brands.

Highlighting the spicy notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla in rum should be a more approachable flavour push for retailers than the traditional gin botanicals of juniper, orris root and angelica.

There are a multitude of roles and career paths in the drinks industry but the idea of moving into the sector for the first time, or shifting across or upwards into a new role, might seem challenging, particularly in an industry that promotes and thrives on well-established relationships.

At the start of 2020 Italian drinks distributor Illva Saronno launched its UK subsidiary, Disaronno International UK.

Big companies are making moves that highlight their expectations for growth in online and the off-trade. Sonya Hook reports

Wines packaged in boxes flew off the shelves in 2020 as consumers switched their buying habits for more convenient, sustainable and bulk-buy options.

Tequila’s share of the UK spirits market remains relatively modest compared to the US, but it is an increasingly busy category, with launches and premium brands pulling up both its quick-hit image and commercial performance.

As we move further into 2021 the UK wine industry is waiting for the day when it can come up for breath and see what life will be like after both Covid-19 and Brexit.

The map for cool climate wines is expanding, with more countries and regions gaining recognition as producers of quality wines.

With an enviable collection of drinks covering on-trend categories such as rum, mezcal, tequila and gin, as well as niche drinks including pisco, raicilla and liqueurs, Speciality Brands has a portfolio which appears versatile enough to tap into a number of emerging premium spirits trends.

Consumer buying habits have changed considerably since coronavirus hit the UK and there’s no telling what might happen when we move out of the pandemic era.

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. When life gives you a global pandemic, tells you to stay indoors, puts you in charge of your little angels’ education and closes the pub, you’ll need something far stronger than lemonade.

It is no longer unusual to see queues at convenience stores across Britain and the pandemic has driven people to shop locally and less often, supplemented with online delivery orders.

The assumption when a drinks brand relaunches with a new look is that it’s to sell more stuff.

Thankfully someone came up with a name more glamorous than “chickpea water” and the versatile vegan ingredient aquafaba was born.

The UK economy is suffering and there is talk of a Covid double dip recession, which paints a grim picture for the future of retail.

Abel & Cole has been delivering organic food to British households for 30 years, and its ethos of offering good quality organic food and drink from ethical growers and producers, made in sustainable ways, is probably now more relevant to consumers than ever before.

If Covid-19 has taught us anything about how Brits respond to a crisis it’s this: when the proverbial hits the fan, we reach for the wine.