
On just-drinks last week...
- PepsiCo experienced a loss of respect from money managers in the US. The company fell from ninth to 30th in a poll that measures how 116 money managers rate the business and management strategies of firms in the country.
- The likelihood of a trade agreement between the European Union and India edged ever closer. The two sides are down to the finer details of a deal, which would signal a race between the producers of international wine and spirits to enter the country as duty rates come down to more manageable levels.
- Both the CEO and the chairman of Jones Soda stepped down from their positions. Richard Eiswirth left the company last week as a result of a disagreement over “the strategic direction of the company and changes in personnel”, Jones said. Board member Mick Fleming replaced Eiswirth as chairman.
- No sooner had we braced ourself at the start of the week for a long run of speculation than, on Friday, Anheuser-Busch InBev confirmed that it had agreed a price to take full control of Mexico's Grupo Modelo. This was by far the most popular story on just-drinks last week, so we've grouped all our coverage together here.
- On the features front, Richard Corbett looked at the effect of the tax hike on soft drinks in France, six months on. Ian Buxton, meanwhile, wondered aloud what challenges face the swathe of craft distillers popping up in Scotland.