June 18th, 2025: Focus on Asian markets and other news
News from Asia, comparing different articles from the same source, distillery news, Rémy Cointreau and Metaxa into RTD and more...
Good morning everyone!
Let’s start with some news from Asia today and then compare two very different articles from the same source.
We talked about Asian markets on Monday. Here is something about focusing on Eastern countries.
Artisanal Spirits Company launches franchising in Vietnam
After recent franchise launches in South Korea and Taiwan, the owner of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS), Single Cask Nation and JG Thomson is now evolving its business with subsidiaries in Vietnam.
The company has already been present in China and Japan for a longer time. Article on Daily Business by Terry Murden:
.
Meanwhile…
Vietnam raises tax on alcoholic beverages
This is what you will have to deal with in the country. On 14 June 2025, the National Assembly of Vietnam approved a proposal to raise the excise tax for alcohol with more than 20% abv and beer (!) to 90% by 2031, up from the current rate of 65%.
The country has been increasing the tax on alcohol in the last ten years. More details in Miona Madsen’s article on The Spirits Business:
.
A closer look at Asian markets
Nicola Carruthers is reporting some Asian market insights by the IWSR on The Spirits Business:
Don’t get scared by the title of the article (not the happiest one, ok), there is more to read than that.
Does the article remind you of anything?
We read a partial version of the news by Eloise Feilden on The Drinks Business on Monday, June 16th:
Both articles come from the same source, a press release by IWSR. You can read it here:
However, the approach is very different.
Feilden is focusing only on one specific and positive topic: the best opportunities. Nice title to read, but it’s just a small piece of the cake. It reminds me of that article about the Chinese alcohol ban in official meals. We listed it here:
The title of the article was “Chinese government cracks down on booze”. Fancy, but with little depth.
I find this a bizarre way of differentiating spirits news for two sister publications and I don’t understand why The Drinks Business has to keep its own spirits section instead of simply embedding The Spirits Business’ articles.
SEO purposes? I’ll try to ask my English colleagues about that.
.
Distillery news
Whiskey House of Kentucky partners with The Koetter Group to build 12 extra warehouses
Elizabethtown distillery, The Whiskey House of Kentucky announced a partnership with The Koetter Group fot the construction of 12 state-of-the-art rickhouses, using innovative K-RAX barrel storage technology over the next six years. News by Henry Mathieu on Global Drinks Intel. here:
The news come from a press release, I found it on Pr Newswire, if you want to have a look at the official communication:
.
Hatozaki Whisky: renovated production facility opens in Miki, Japan
Spirits producer and distributor Marussia Beverages has opened its newly renovated Miki production facility for the Japanese whisky brand in Hyogo Prefecture. Article by Miona Madsen on The Spirits Business:
.
I rarely select news about new products launches, but I think it may be useful to keep an eye on who is getting into RTDs.
Rémy Cointreau’s Metaxa enters RTDs
The news comes from Global Drinks Intel., article by Henry Mathieu:
Metaxa is just one of many. One of the biggest RTD launches (and partnerships) in the recent years was probably Brown-Forman and Coca-Cola’s Jack Daniel’s and Cola RTD, three years ago. I’m recalling Alice Brooker’s article on The Spirits Business here:
We had a focus on RTDs in June 13th press review. I’m linking it here, in case you would like to read it again:
.
That’s all for today, see you on Friday ;)