Lebanon | These days one has to be grateful for any positive news coming out of the crisis-ridden Middle Eastern country. On 1 October, the leading Swiss newspaper, Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) posted a gushing portrait of Philippe Jabre, 63, who ran a successful hedge fund in Geneva before returning to his home country and taking control of Lebanon’s number one brewer, Brasserie Almaza, which had been founded by his grandfather in 1933.

Australia | The Scottish brewer and pub company quietly backed away from its prominent pledge, announced in May last year, to share 50 percent of its bar profits with staff.

Australia | When Mighty Craft, a listed alcoholic beverage company and one of country’s largest craft brewers, announced the resignation of Trevor O’Hoy from its board of directors, effective 25 August, everybody knew that the overstretched group was a goner.

Australia | A Federal Parliamentary Committee is looking into the impact of concentration and competition in the retail market on brewers. At a recent hearing, on 28 August, Lion’s Managing Director, David Smith, told the committee that Lion has an “absolute policy” of not getting in the way of taps for independent brewers.

Australia | The pun was unavoidable. Kirin-owned Lion not only decided to close Two Bird’s Spotswood brewery and taproom in Melbourne, which was founded by two women, the iconic brand will be discontinued too.

Australia | Lion Group, the firm behind brands like Toohey’s, Little Creatures Brewing and XXXX beer, is slashing hundreds of jobs following a review of the business by new CEO Sam Fischer. Mr Fischer joined Lion from Diageo, where he was President Asia Pacific and Global Travel, in July 2022.

New Zealand | From 1 July, the price of a pint of beer and a glass of wine is set to rise, following a 6.65 percent hike to the alcohol excise tax. It comes after a record 6.92 percent increase in 2022. The decision, made on 2 June, will cost New Zealanders an extra NZD 86 million (USD 53 million) per year, including NZD 28.9 million (USD 18 million) for beer drinkers.

Myanmar | Kirin will be glad it exited its local brewery joint venture with a military-linked partner in 2022: Because human rights activists have since stepped up their efforts to call out international brewers still operating in the country over the military’s human rights abuses.

Australia | Kirin’s subsidiary Lion, the number two brewer in Australia, decided to close its Tiny Mountain taproom and microbrewery and discontinue the brand altogether.

India – Will this end their public spat? Danish brewer Carlsberg said the Khetan Group, which owns 33 percent of the shares in the holding company that manages businesses in India and Nepal, has announced it seeks to sell its entire stake to the brewer for USD 744 million.