From Mal Higgs, Project Manager – ALSA Retail Insights. Many retailers have worked out that they can make a great deal more profit margin selling private label products – especially wine. It is not uncommon to hear stories of a four or five percent increase in gross profit margin across the entire wine category just by selling four or five dozen private label wines in a week. Of course, there is a double …

Drinks industry professionals from all corners of the industry are invited to attend a series of free educational seminars hosted by leading industry experts that will run during the trade exhibition on Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 November at Luna Park in Sydney. Directly following the co-located ‘drinks association Special Event: Network Breakfast’, on Tuesday 17 November, the first seminar session will be …

Suntory Global Innovation Centre has announced plans to conduct experiments from outer space on the “development of mellowness in alcoholic beverages through the use of a microgravity environment.” The research will be undertaken inside the International Space Station’s Japanese Experiment Module (nicknamed “Kibo”) with cooperation from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Suntory hopes findings…

Nathy Gaffney and Kylie Warry – Australia’s leading personal impact and communication experts – will be sharing how you can develop the confidence and charisma to connect with anyone in a free two hour seminar aimed to transform your business relationships or career. The program will focus on understanding key pillars of communication including voice, appearance, facial expressions, and body language. Pow…

The 2015 Liquor Barons conference wrapped up last night with a cruise on the scenic Lake Wakatipu, courtesy of Pernod Ricard Australia; concluding three productive days of networking and imperative decision-making sessions. Following a report on group position and a map of the year ahead, there was a genuine sense of optimism among the 105 Liquor Barons delegates that attended this year’s conference. Lou…

  Wine Australia is inviting research, development and extension (RD&E) project applications throughout five key areas as identified in its recently released five-year Strategic Plan. Wine Australia CEO Andreas Clark says the five research areas will help achieve Wine Australia’s goal of a prosperous Australian grape and wine community. “These five research areas directly support our two prioriti…

By Mary Parbery A new trend is growing across the drinks industry; a new way of doing business, and that’s crowdfunding. In the last two years, this fundraising model has been responsible for the arrival of Four Pillars Gin, Naked Wines and SOFI Spritz, to name a few, and is expected to fund the launch of a number of others in the coming months. While for many crowdfunding is a solution to raising that mu…

ALSA Retail Insights, the body’s industry inspired professional development program, has added a 12 th module to its suite– Pricing Strategy. The module aims to provide retailers with the resources needed to develop a more disciplined approach to pricing policies. “The skill of the retailer is to be able to price their products at the level their customers are prepared to pay. This is how, at the end of …

Wine Australia has released its five year Strategic Plan for 2015-2020, addressing the need for Australian wine to become more competitive on the global market. The plan will see the organisation invest approximately $35 million annually into developing Australia’s wine and grape business internationally. Specifically, the money will go towards research and development, building markets, disseminating kno…

Members of the drinks industry will be treated to all things wine, beer, spirits and cocktails at the inaugural Drinks Industry Show, which will be held at Luna Park Sydney on Monday 16 – Tuesday 17 November. This trade-only show is designed and supported by the drinks industry with no general public in attendance. The purpose of this event is to facilitate market share growth and to re-connect decision m…