September 8, 2025: Gen Z, moderation, and other news
Analysing Gen Z, harvest in Cognac, Heaven Hill opens distillery, Ardbeg House opens doors, funny instructions from Mexico, and more...
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Happy Monday, everyone!
We're at the start of the week and I have no major breaking news to share. Instead, I've decided to open our press review with some useful content about Generation Z.
Let’s get started.
Talking about moderation and Gen Z
DIAGEO’s Interim CEO Jhangiani on strategy, drinking trends, and Gen Z
During a fireside chat at the Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference, Diageo's interim CEO, Nik Jhangiani, addressed the structural-versus-cyclical debate in the spirits industry. He commented on shifts in drinking trends and common assumptions about Generation Z.
After discussing Diageo's £625 million cost-saving Accelerate programme, Jhangiani revealed a strategic shift from focusing on gross margin percentages to dollar margins. He explained that the previous approach led to poor business decisions, including exiting profitable categories simply because their margin percentages were lower.
Regarding Generation Z drinking habits, Jhangiani called "bullshit" on assumptions that younger consumers are primarily motivated by health consciousness. He suggested that financial constraints and life stage factors play a more significant role.
Article by Melita Kiely in The Spirits Business:
Moderation and Gen Z: The IWSR’s point of view
There's an insightful feature on this topic by Shay Waterworth in Drinks International, which includes an interview with Richard Halstead, chief operating officer for consumer insights & custom analytics at the IWSR. Halstead commented on some of the IWSR's recent data about young consumers, and I found a few passages particularly interesting. Here’s a quote:
"If you correlate the rise in iPhone sales with reduction in or abstinence from alcohol, the two correlate inversely. Because of the influence of social media, there’s more social shame for being seen drunk or out of control… I think demonstrating your self control is one of the biggest social currencies at the moment. Whether it’s in terms of your looks or in terms of your behaviour or in terms of the goals you're setting.”
The discussion also continues regarding health and moderation.
Shay Waterworth on Drinks International:
Harvest in Cognac to start today
Grapes in the Cognac region are ripening early this year, and the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC) has recommended that producers begin harvesting today.
Analyses show that the average potential alcoholic strength by volume is the highest ever recorded in the last ten years, at 8.8% vol. alc.
Article by Marion Bazireau in Vitisphère:
Heaven Hill Springs Distillery officially open
Heaven Hill Brands has officially opened its new distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, nearly thirty years after the original facility was destroyed by fire in 1996. The new distillery is the result of a US$200 million investment and began operations in April 2025.
You can read the article by Miona Madsen in The Spirits Business:
Ardbeg’s new luxury hotel opens doors
The famous Islay whisky brand, Ardbeg, has opened its boutique hotel, Ardbeg House, in Port Ellen.
The venue was designed in collaboration with Russell Sage Studio. It features 12 suites and bedrooms, a signature restaurant, and, of course, the Islay Bar.
Article by Rosalind Erskine in The Scotsman Food & Drink:
Inside Ardbeg House as new luxury whisky hotel opens its doors
Something to read
How to get from Guadalajara to Jalisco by bus
I have to admit, this recommendation is for fun, as I know many of my friends in the industry are now getting ready to judge at Spirits Selection in Jalisco, Mexico. I wish you all a great experience!
Article by Eye Central (no author mentioned):
Cómo llegar a Tequila Jalisco en camión desde Guadalajara y qué hacer
That’s all for today.
I’ll see you on Wednesday (with hopefully more news than today) ;)