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☆ Diageo to Buy Premium Rum Brand Don Papa
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Joseph Hoppe | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Diageo and other distillers have sought to nudge the rum category upmarket as drinkers show a propensity to pay for pricier booze. Diageo PLC has agreed to buy Don Papa Rum, a high-end dark rum from the Philippines, in a deal worth up to about $473 million, as the liquor giant bids to move further upmarket. The owner of Johnnie Walker whisky and Tanqueray gin will pay 260 million euros, equivalent to $281 million, upfront for Don Papa, with a further potential consideration of up to €177.5 million through to 2028 subject to performance.

He heard at that time that Pfizer's (PFE.N) anti-viral drug Paxlovid was an effective treatment, but patients could only get it prescribed if they were admitted to hospital, and only if the drug was in stock. Li's experience, local media reports and online posts bear testimony to the difficulties faced obtaining Paxlovid in China through official channels. "Pfizer is actively collaborating with Chinese authorities and all stakeholders to secure an adequate supply of Paxlovid in China. We remain committed to fulfilling the COVID-19 treatment needs of Chinese patients and partnering with the Chinese government," the company said in a statement. PAXLOVID GIFTSeveral other people described to Reuters how they turned to the grey market to purchase Paxlovid.

☆ Actor Ezra Miller gets fine, probation after home break-in
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Actor Ezra Miller pleaded guilty Friday to a charge stemming from a break-in and theft of alcohol at a neighbor’s home in Vermont, one of a string of arrests and reports of erratic behavior last year that stretched from Hawaii to New England. During the nearly 30-minute hearing in Bennington, Miller, 30, answered the judge’s questions but declined to make a statement. Miller pleaded not guilty in October to stealing liquor from a neighbor’s home in Vermont. The homeowner said he had been friends with Miller for about 18 years and bought the home a year and half ago in Stamford, where Miller also had a home, according to the police affidavit. Miller was arrested twice last year in Hawaii, including for disorderly conduct and harassment at a karaoke bar.

Pernod Ricard India said it strongly denies the allegations of the directorate, adding that it "will continue to fully cooperate with the Indian authorities in this matter." Benoy Babu, head for international brands for Pernod India, was arrested in November and remains in jail over the case. He faces allegations of money laundering under Indian laws and violating Delhi's liquor policy rules, but has denied wrongdoing. Under the 2021 Delhi liquor policy, hundreds of store licences were awarded to private players as the city government exited the retail business in a move to liberalise trade and boost local government revenue. One Enforcement Directorate document dated Nov. 10 says: "The main motive of Pernod Ricard in cartel creation was to ensure that the retail shops of the cartel partners purchased higher quantity of Pernod Ricard brands ... in lieu of the financial assistance provided."

☆ Molson Coors is launching its first-ever zero-proof cocktail
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Molson Coors is typically known for its lineup of beers and booze, but its newest drink isn’t either. Its arrival comes as Molson Coors broadens its portfolio beyond beer and expands into new growth categories that are sparking consumers’ interest, including canned cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages. “We know a lot of consumers are starting to either moderate or temper and think about their consumption habits,” Jamie Wideman, vice president of innovation for Molson Coors exclusively told CNN. Molson Coors Beverage CompanyRoxie is available in three flavors: Passionfruit, pineapple and mango. The company’s direction beyond traditional beer stems from a 2019 decision to rebrand itself from Molson Coors Brewing Company to Molson Coors Beverage Co (TAP)mpany as a result of declining beer sales.

☆ Liquor Brands Bet Thrifty Drinkers Will Keep Making At-Home Cocktails
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( Joshua Kirby | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Many Americans took to mixing cocktails at home during the pandemic, boosting liquor sales. Now, with inflation squeezing disposable incomes, big distillers are betting on another round of home drinking as consumers economize. Historically, around 80% of all U.S. alcoholic drinks sales were for home drinking, according to IWSR, a drinks market-research firm. That level rose to 90% during the pandemic, and sales at bars aren’t likely to return to pre-Covid levels for another four to five years, IWSR says.

☆ Dubai nixes its 30% alcohol tax in a bid to attract more tourism
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"Dubai Municipality has temporarily stopped collecting the 30% fee from alcoholic beverage companies for a period of one year from the beginning of 01/01/2023 to the end of 12/31/2023. The companies authorized to sell in the Emirate of Dubai have been notified of this decision," Dubai Municipality wrote in a post from its official Twitter account. It also said that personal liquor licenses, previously a requirement for all Dubai residents for purchasing alcohol in shops and costing 270 dirhams ($73.50), are now free. Some Dubai residents were unhappy about the abrupt announcement, having recently paid the full fee for their yearly license. Woman sunbathers sit along a beach in the Gulf emirate of Dubai on July 24, 2020, while behind is seen the Burj al-Arab hotel.

London/Abu Dhabi CNN —Dubai has scrapped a 30% tax on alcohol and will no longer charge tourists or expats for permits to buy alcoholic drinks as the emirate tries to attract more foreign workers and visitors in the face of growing regional competition. Two major retailers in the city, located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said they had slashed their prices to reflect the tax cut. MMI, one of Dubai’s biggest alcohol retailers and a subsidiary of the state-owned Emirates group, has 21 stores across the city, according to its website. Muslims are prohibited from acquiring licenses for purchase of alcohol in Dubai. The sale of alcohol in the UAE is already more liberalized compared to neighboring Gulf countries.

☆ Anyone can live and work in Svalbard, a group of Arctic islands, visa-free — as long as they don't run out of money and abide by a unique set of rules
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Insider spoke with four locals (one of whom was deported) about what it's like to work in Svalbard. Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago 500 miles from the North Pole, is home to the world's northernmost human settlement. He moved to the island from the US in 2008 with around $1 million dollars in the bank and ambitions to launch an English-language newspaper, Sabbatini told Insider. Courtesy of Martin FialaThanks to the local housing crisis, it's easier to find work on Svalbard than a place to live. The price to pay is that it's exhausting and chaotic, but that's pretty awesome," Fiala told Insider.

☆ Why you could be drinking more prosecco than Champagne at your New Year's party this year
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Avery Hartmans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Consumers are choosing prosecco over Champagne and opting for cheaper tequila amid economic uncertainty. Still, the Champagne industry is on track to beat its sales record thanks to higher-income drinkers. The premium alcohol business saw a boom in 2021 thanks to traveling and partying finally being back on the table. Sales of Champagne also reached a record high of $5.7 billion in 2021, 14% higher than the pre-pandemic record, Reuters reported. But before you feel too bad for the Champagne industry, don't worry — it's still on track to beat its 2021 sales record, David Chatillon, chairman of the Union of Champagne Houses, told Reuters.

☆ How to prevent a hangover, and 3 ways to treat one
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —You had a little too much to drink last night, and now you’re nursing that dreaded morning aftermath — a hangover. There is no scientifically proven way to cure a hangover, but experts say you can prevent one — or at least keep that morning-after misery to a minimum. Drink on a full stomachEating a little before you start drinking can reduce your hangover symptoms, experts say. AbstainIn the end, however, experts say there is only one true preventive — or cure — for a hangover: Don’t drink. “There’s no simple cure because there are so many complex factors that are producing the multiple symptoms of a hangover,” Swift said.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Robert Swift, Brown University’s Warren, Swift, “, it’s, John Brick, Downing, bootleggers, That’s, Brick, ” Swift Organizations: CNN, Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School, Lightfield, Adobe, of Alcohol Studies, Education, Training, Rutgers University Locations: Providence , Rhode Island, New Jersey

☆ Judge says Trump may have been urging supporters to 'do something more' than protest on Jan. 6
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Ryan J. Reilly | Ryan J. Reilly Is A Justice Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — A federal judge indicated Wednesday that then-President Donald Trump's remarks on Jan. 6 telling a crowd to "fight like hell" before the Capitol attack could have signaled to his supporters that he wanted them "to do something more" than just protest. In a court order for the case against Jan. 6 defendant Alexander Sheppard, U.S. District Court Judge John Bates ruled that Sheppard could not raise the "public authority" defense at trial after his lawyer argued Trump had authorized his client's actions at the Capitol that day. "These words only encourage those at the rally to march to the Capitol — nothing more — and do not address legality at all. He went on to say there was "simply no indication" that Trump informed the crowd that going into the Capitol would be legal. Several other defendants have tried to raise the public authority defense, including Danny Rodriquez, the MAGA-hatted Jan. 6 rioter who drove a stun gun into the neck of now-former Metropolitan Police Department officer Michael Fanone.

☆ I've gotten celebs like Post Malone and DJ Khaled to share stories about being self-made. Here's what they've told me and how I get them to open up.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Eboni Boykin-Patterson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Brett Berish is the CEO of liquor company Sovereign Brands, which sold one of its brands to Jay Z. He hosts the celebrity interview series 'Self-Made' where celebs share their rags to riches stories. When I see people hold the bottles on Instagram or somewhere, I feel like I've achieved something — I've created something. My favorite conversations on the show are the most transparentMy first "Self-Made'' interview was in 2017 with Post Malone. I'm intrigued by these 'Self-Made' stories because I have one tooI've been in the liquor business for over 20 years.

☆ Girl Scout mom kicked out of Radio City and barred from seeing Rockettes after facial recognition tech identified her
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

“I was just a mom taking my daughter to see a Christmas show,” she told NBC New York. It’s un-American to do this.”The Rockettes perform at Radio City Music Hall in New York in 2019. The spokesperson added that a sign outside Radio City Music Hall informs visitors that facial recognition technology is among the security measures it has in place. The company spokesperson called its policy “straightforward” and said attorneys at firms pursuing litigation against it are welcome at its venues once the litigation is resolved. New York court records show that there are more than 20 active lawsuits pending against MSG Entertainment and its properties in the state.

☆ Nonstop partying, lavish spending, and sexual-harassment accusations: Inside the self-destruction of Pollen, the music startup once worth $800 million
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Melkorka Licea | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +41 min

About 400 Pollen employees were camped out in Mendocino County, California, for five straight days of partying. Two former Pollen employees told Insider that they recalled the assistant telling them about Callum's inappropriate comments at the time. (The Pollen representative said Callum and Bedi didn't date at Pollen or at any other company connected to Pollen. Out of 360 events Pollen announced over the past 12 months, 39 were canceled, the Pollen representative said. (The Pollen representative said that "out of hundreds of thousands of customers, fewer than 100 people were moderated" online.)

☆ Face Recognition Tech Gets Girl Scout Mom Booted From Rockettes Show — Due to Where She Works
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Sarah Wallace | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Radio City Rockettes perform onstage during the opening night of the 2019 Christmas Spectacular Starring The Radio City Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall on November 13, 2019 in New York City. Kelly Conlon and her daughter came to New York City the weekend after Thanksgiving as part of a Girl Scout field trip to Radio City Music Hall to see the Christmas Spectacular show. But while her daughter, other members of the Girl Scout troop and their mothers got to go enjoy the show, Conlon wasn't allowed to do so. They had identified and zeroed in on her, as security guards approached her right as he got into the lobby. "I was just a mom taking my daughter to see a Christmas show," Conlon told the I-Team.

☆ Costco CEO's cautious consumer outlook justifies our near-term view on the stock
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Craig Jelinek, chief executive officer of Club holding Costco (COST), said Monday he sees a more-vigilant consumer this holiday shopping season and potentially beyond. Consumer behavior Jelinek highlighted a number of stronger areas for Costco, including its Kirkland-branded products across a number of categories. "Our food [and] sundry business, our fresh business, our travel business, continues to be strong," Jelinek added. Looking ahead to next year, Jelinek said Costco is taking stock of the economic uncertainty and factoring that into its merchandising plans. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

☆ 22 Unique Valentine’s Gifts for Men Who Have Everything
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +12 min

From the cocktail gadget that will level-up his drinks to the ultimate undershirts, these are presents you can purchase with confidence—no gift receipt required. This edition has a wood cabinet with metal plaques, die-cast metal houses and hotels, gold-foil stamping and money-holding drawers. Buy Side’s favorite automatic cocktail maker works with pre-measured pods and his favorite spirits to dispense cocktails at the push of a button. For more great gadget ideas, check out our roundup of the top gifts for your favorite techie. Even better, the jean material “came ready-to-wear with no awkward break-in period, plus a custom liner.”—Additional reporting by Leslie Yazel

☆ Nepal to end eight-month ban on imports of cars, phones as reserves rise
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Gopal Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KATHMANDU, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Nepal will end an eight-month ban on the import of cars, expensive mobile phones and liquor on Friday as the country's foreign currency reserves have increased, officials said on Thursday. The Himalayan nation, tucked between China and India, restricted imports of cars, gold and cosmetics in April saying its reserves could barely support imports for fewer than seven months. But the central bank said on Thursday that reserves had increased 1% to $9.63 billion as of mid-November from $9.54 billion in mid-July – sufficient to cover imports for 8.4 months. "The government feels that the reserves are in a comfortable position now," Commerce Ministry spokesperson, Narayan Prasad Regmi, told Reuters. Imports of seven other items, including cosmetics, were eased in September.

Tokyo CNN —Police in Japan’s capital are urging people to moderate their alcohol consumption this holiday season following an increase in deaths of drinkers hit by vehicles after falling asleep on the street. As of November 25, 10 people had been killed in such accidents this year, Tokyo police said in a recent Twitter post – representing 22% of all pedestrian deaths in the capital. Japan has a relatively low level of alcohol consumption, according to a 2021 OECD study, which factors in the impact of the pandemic, but social drinking is commonplace during festivities. Alcohol consumption in Japan waned during the pandemic, with restrictions hitting the business of bars and other places selling drinks. In a post on its website last year, it called excessive alcohol consumption a “major social problem” that persisted despite the recent slowdown in consumption.

☆ I started a distillery and spend a lot of time selling my spirits directly to consumers inside liquor stores. Here's what I've learned about how you buy booze.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Jen Glantz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

My co-founder and I started a distillery company in 2017, to revive authentic flavor in spirits with local grains. Here are some of my biggest takeaways from spending hours getting to know shoppers inside liquor stores. My co-founder and I started Fox and Seeker Distilled Goods, a distillery company, in 2017, with the main goal of reviving authentic flavor in distilled spirits using only local grains. Since we're a relatively new brand, I spend Thursday through Saturday in different liquor stores promoting our spirits. Because I spend more than 15 hours a week inside stores, I see a lot.

SHANGHAI/HONG KONG, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Investors caught off-guard by China's dramatic COVID policy pivot are betting on both greed and fear as the economy starts to gradually reopen, snapping up shares in businesses from travel agencies and casinos to funeral companies. Providers of death care services, including Hong Kong-listed Fu Shou Yuan International Group (1448.HK), China's biggest cemetery operator and funeral service provider, have also drawn investors. The positioning for both the bright and dark side of China's COVID pivot reflects growing concerns from investors surprised by the rapid policy change, especially as COVID vaccination rates among the elderly remain relatively low. "But we still think that the way China can flatten the curve of new COVID cases without doubling down on tightening looks quite challenging." Morgan Stanley Chief China economist Robin Xing said China's economy may remain sluggish for another quarter or two, but growth will pick up after Spring.

☆ NYC honors historic gay bar with landmark status
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Zachary Schermele | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

One of the earliest sites of gay rights activism is officially New York City’s newest landmark. Located at 159 West 10th St., just a short walk from fellow historic gay bar Stonewall Inn, Julius’ has been open since the 1860s. It started attracting gay patrons in the mid-20th century, and, according to the conservation nonprofit group Village Preservation, it’s the city’s oldest existing gay bar. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016 for its significance in the gay rights movement. A photo of the moment went down in gay rights history.

☆ Want a successful first date? Consider making it a sober one
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Aditi Shrikant | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

As a rule, Tres Reeves doesn't drink alcohol on a first date. "I recommend not going to a bar on a first date because you don't know what perception it will give." "One date I went on we had a picnic because she liked being outdoors and I'm always hungry," he says. 'Covid really redefined what a date was'"Covid really redefined what a date was," says Logan Ury, Hinge's Director of Relationship Science. " In March 2020, online alcohol sales grew 234% from a year prior, according to Nielsen data.

About 26.9 million shares will be sold for between 340 rupees and 357 rupees in the IPO, with Sula raising 9.60 billion rupees, Chief Executive Rajeev Samant said at a press conference in Mumbai on Wednesday. However, that is less than Radico Khaitan Ltd's (RADC.NS) market value of 147.52 billion rupees and United Spirits Ltd's (UNSP.NS) 682.18 billion rupees valuation. Streaming platforms have also helped popularise wine, added Samant, who launched Sula in 1996. Its net revenue rose 8% year-over-year to 4.57 billion rupees in fiscal 2022. Sula's IPO will be open for subscription from Dec. 12-14 and debut on the stock exchanges between Dec. 20-22, the company said.

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