If you read only one thing… – This week’s must-reads on just-drinks – just-drinks.com

Here's a look at the biggest stories and the best content from just-drinks this week.

The coronavirus pandemic has decimated the on-premise around the world, with lockdowns leading to zero sales and furloughed staff in the channel. Those pubs and bars that will still be around as lockdown eases, however, could see consumers' stronger relationship with spirits provide a healthier - and sustainable - future. Spirits commentator Richard Woodard explains.

Everyone is asking what the world will be like post-COVID. Beer commentator Stephen Beaumont is no exception but, rather than look forward in weeks or months, Stephen takes a punt at what the brewing industry can expect to see in May 2021.

Seven years ago, Angela Kahn was in need of a healthier alternative to coffee and energy drinks. Within two years, she'd quit her job as global brand & communications director at BP to start her own business, Tesla Nootropics Group, in 2016. The launch this month of the RTD line of TNG's Nubrain brand gave just-drinks the excuse to speak to Khan about the potential for nootropics, the challenges the segment faces and her hopes for the future of TNG.

Earlier this week, Coca-Cola HBC announced an expansion of the Costa Coffee range to three of its markets. The move is one of the Coca-Cola system's first wide-scale activations of Costa since The Coca-Cola Co acquired the UK-based chain for US$4.9bn last year. CCHBC, which bottles Coca-Cola beverages in a number of European markets as well as Nigeria, views coffee as a EUR56bn (US$61bn)-per-year opportunity in its territories and will sell Costa products including RTDs, roasted and ground beans and even Nespresso-compatible coffee pods through a range of retail and away-from-home channels.

Beverage industry analysts have welcomed Carlsberg's UK joint venture with pub owner and brewer Marston's, calling the move both financially and strategically attractive.

Once a month, the drinks industry-funded International Alliance for Responsible Drinking, which covers alcohol policies worldwide, reviews some of the alcohol industry's recent CSR activities. Here's a look at what's been going on in recent weeks.

A recent study set out to evaluate sponsorship bias in observational alcohol research by focusing on a spectrum of health outcomes related to moderate alcohol consumption.

In our companies' results coverage:

Henkell Freixenet has posted a slight decline in sales from the 12 months of last year as the wine and spirits group consolidated its merger with Spanish sparkling wine producer Freixenet.

Britvic has seen its sales growth slow over the first six months of its current fiscal year, although the top-line was still up year-on-year.

Lucas Bols has warned of a major blow to sales in its current fiscal year, as the global closure of the on-premise channel pulled the top-line into decline for the 12 months to the end of March.

On just-drinks' news pages:

UK retailer Majestic Wine is opening its branches today for the first time since the end of March.The off-premise chain, which operates around 200 outlets in the UK, has continued to offer a delivery service to consumers since closing its stores on 23 March. From this week, however, consumers can collect their Majestic orders from stores during an agreed time slot.

PepsiCo's recently-released extension of its namesake CSD in China highlights the growing trend among consumers towards more locally-sourced beverages, a trend heightened by the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Beverage e-commerce has hit an "inflection point" as the coronavirus pandemic turns consumers into online shoppers, the CFO of The Coca-Cola Co has said.

Campari Group has confirmed recent suggestions that the coronavirus has cast doubt on a move of its registered offices to the Netherlands.

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If you read only one thing... - This week's must-reads on just-drinks - just-drinks.com