14th September 2026 Alcohol / RegulationThe government is moving to overhaul alcohol licensing, confirming it will sweep away legacy red tape, slash annual fees, and fast-track processing times for hospitality operators.
10th September 2026 Alcohol / RegulationAlcohol bodies have thrown their weight behind the Ministry for Regulation’s fresh hospitality plan proposed licensing reforms which they say address long-standing sector costs, delays, and inconsistencies.
25th August 2026 Alcohol / New WorldPanhead Port Road Pilsner has taken the top spot at the 2026 New World Beer & Cider Awards, emerging as Supreme Champion from a field of more than 650 entries.
19th August 2026 Alcohol / State of PlayNew Zealand’s only dedicated zero-alcohol craft brewery, State of Play, is preparing for what it expects to be its busiest summer to-date, as its portfolio and sales grow.
13th August 2026 Alcohol / DiageoA behind-the-scenes structural shake-up delivers a $12m headline drop in revenue for global liquor titan Diageo’s New Zealand arm – although profit was protected.
11th August 2026 Alcohol / LabellingNew Zealand Food Safety has issued an updated version of its regulatory guidance for manufacturers, importers, and retailers, ‘A guide to Alcoholic Drinks – what’s in them and how to label them’.
30th March 2026 Alcohol / M&AThe global drinks industry is bracing for its largest consolidation in decades as Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman confirm they are in early discussions regarding a potential “merger of equals”.
20th March 2026 Alcohol / AwardsWinemaker Giesen Group has been named in a winner in the Mintel Most Innovative Awards 2026,
17th March 2026 Alcohol / RegulationThe beverage and hospitality sectors have largely welcomed the government’s proposed alcohol law reforms, although the spirits body warned that some deeper systemic issues remain unresolved.
26th February 2026 Alcohol / ManufacturingAlcohol available for consumption is at an all time low in New Zealand, as a cultural shift towards moderation and high production costs trigger a dive in 2025.
30th January 2026 Alcohol / NZ Alcohol Beverages CouncilYounger drinkers continue to rewrite the rules of alcohol consumption, with new research showing Gen Z is drinking less often, choosing more deliberately, and increasingly blending low- and no-alcohol options into their routines.
26th January 2026 Alcohol / CCEPBacardi has entered into a new agreement with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners in New Zealand for the distribution of its premium spirits portfolio.
