News Briefs for February 14, 2014
February 14, 2014•The James Beard Foundation will announce nominees for its annual food and wine awards on March 18 in Chicago. If the Windy City’s tourism officials have their way, Chicago will one day host the awards ceremony itself, which currently is held in New York in May. Don Welsh, CEO of Choose Chicago, the city’s tourism bureau, recently spoke with James Beard Foundation president Susan Ungaro about moving the event. “I said that if she considers holding it in another city, we’re ready to step in,” Welsh said. “She was pleased that we expressed interest. When events like this are moved around, the process becomes renewed and refreshed.” Ungaro told the Chicago Tribune that “we’re pretty far off from making any decision,” an indication that Beard directors might at least consider new offers.
•TFWA World Exhibition & Conference, the annual trade show for global duty free and travel retail held in Cannes, France, has reached a deal to keep the event in Cannes for at least the next three years. The new contract covers the period from 2015-2017, with an option on 2018 and 2019. This year’s show will be held from October 26-31, and next year’s dates are October 19-23. But starting in 2016, the event will shift to the first week of October. The 2016 exhibition will be held October 3-7, and the 2017 dates are October 2-6.
•McMinnville, Oregon-based boutique winery Elizabeth Chambers Cellar has launched its new Pinot Noir-focused range in select U.S. markets. Sourced from the Willamette Valley, the Elizabeth Chambers collection includes its flagship 2011 Winemaker’s Cuvée blend ($32 a 750-ml.), as well as its 2011 Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir and 2011 Freedom Hill Pinot Noir single-vineyard entries. The lineup initially will be available across the Northwest region, as well as Washington, D.C., Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Texas. Elizabeth Chambers Cellars currently produces around 3,500 cases.
•Solid results in the above-premium category led MillerCoors to strong profit growth of 5.5% for the full year of 2013, despite continuing volume declines. Boosted by a 30% increase in the fourth quarter, MillerCoors’ net income rose to $1.29 billion for the full year, as above-premium brands like Blue Moon, Leinenkugel’s, Batch 19 and Redd’s Apple Ale drove a net sales increase of 0.5% to $7.8 billion companywide. In addition to its strong above-premium performance, MillerCoors saw “exceptional” progress on its Coors Banquet brand last year, and says it’s holding share in the premium light segment with Miller Lite and Coors Light. Overall sales to retailers fell 2.8% for the year, but net revenue per barrel was up 3.4%. MillerCoors CEO Tom Long said the group will continue its strategy of looking to grow share in the high-margin, above-premium space in the year ahead.
•Bud Light is adding a new reclosable 16-ounce aluminum bottle to its lineup. AB InBev invested $150 million to develop the new package, which it says has a more premium feel. The brand’s new “Cool Twist” bottle was previewed in advertising during the recent Super Bowl. Still the U.S. market’s leading beer brand, Bud Light slipped to 37.6 million barrels in the U.S. in 2013, according to Impact Databank, down from 41 million barrels in 2008.
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