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The return of table tennis to the majestic surroundings of the Royal Albert Hall will create excitement across Planet Table Tennis. The prestigious London venue, opposite Hyde Park’s Albert Memorial and just a stone’s throw from Harrods, is generally regarded as the world’s most atmospheric indoor arena and has tremendous historic significance for table tennis as the venue that played host to major events in the heyday of Richard Bergmann and Johnny Leach.
]]> 12 Mar 2008
The new look packaging is a clear 75cl sparking wine bottle with a sparkling wine style foil covered closure designed to show off the product’s distinctive pink colour.

Lambrini Pink Bubbly is part of Halewood International’s Lambrini Celebration Range which also includes a Bucks Fizz style product as well as a sparkling white Lambrini.

The revamp has been undertaken to reinforce the product’s wine style positioning on the back of extensive consumer research by Halewood International which shows Lambrini consumers view the brand as a wine style product.



The product formulation as a sparkling fruity wine style drink with an ABV of 5.5% and an RRP of around £2.99 all remain unchanged.

The new product will be on sale across multiple grocers, off licences and independents from Valentine’s Day.

Commenting on the revamp Halewood International’s Marketing Controller Richard Clark said, ”Consumer research shows Lambrini drinkers view the brand as a wine style product and we were keen to reinforce this positioning through packaging that is more in line with a light sparkling wine while at the same time delivering the great taste of Lambrini.

“We are confident that Pink Bubbly will benefit from Lambrini‘s current National TV campaign & will provide retailers with a brand that has a strong rate of sale”
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The company will join other sponsoring organisations including the Bank of China, Cathay Pacific and the Hong Kong Tourist Board in celebrating the Year of The Rat which could attract as many as 500,000 visitors to the various events.



The sponsorship of the Chinese New Year celebrations on February 10th in London represents Halewood’s first major push for the brand and will see the company have a branded presence at the event including screen branding in Trafalgar Square, and banners in Leicester Square as well as promotional material in all literature.

The sponsorship is the first stage in Halewood International’s strategy to concentrate initial sales and marketing initiatives to capitalise on Tsingtao’s near universal distribution in the Chinese restaurant and grocery sector.

Importantly the sponsorship also provides a showcase to a much wider audience for the brand which will help underpin Halewood International’s drive to secure distribution in both the On-Trade and Multiple Grocers.

At present Tsingtao is available in a 330ml bottle format which is on sale in Tesco, Waitrose and Makro and a 640ml sharing bottle available in Sainsbury’s. Both formats have an ABV of 4.7% and are brewed using Laoshan water, wheat, barley & rice in the fermentation to deliver a light clean taste that is an ideal accompaniment to food.

Halewood International is working in close partnership with brand owner Tsingtao Brewery and is looking to make the brand the leading imported Asian beer brand in the UK within the next five years. In China, Tsingtao is an official Olympic sponsor and the Olympic sailing events are taking place in the home of the Tsingtao Brewery, the city of Qingdao.

Halewood International’s Marketing Controller Richard Clark comments, “Chinese New Year is a real high profile event for us and allows us to reinforce the brand’s Chinese credentials while engaging with the Chinese community who are the mainstay of our current distribution via countless Chinese restaurants.

“Importantly the high profile nature of the event allows us to promote the brand to a much wider audience which will underpin our growth strategy in both the multiple grocers and On Trade,” Richard Clark added.]]> 28 Jan 2008
Building on its massively successful single pot Sidekick range, new Splitz offers a 30ml split pot that contains two separate, but complementary, flavours to deliver an exciting double-barrelled taste sensation, adding to the fun and great taste of this already popular style of drink.

The range launches with five flavour combinations – Strawberries & Cream, Sour Cherry & Cola, Sour Apple & Raspberry, Golden Toffee & Cream and Coffee Cream & Orange.

Richard Clark, Halewood International’s marketing controller, said: “Using our experience in the shot sector, backed by the strength of Sidekick as an established and trusted shot brand, we’ve extended the Sidekick portfolio to offer a premium product. In addition to offering consumers a trade up experience, Splitz provides a higher cash margin for retailers. Our broader range also means we can provide stockists with a complete shot solution – from standard pots and now Splitz at the upper end together with the Sidekick pouring shots range.

“The extension of the Sidekick range follows research by Halewood into the future of this category and feedback from key retailers who, despite having reduced shot-like products in recent months, believe there is still high demand for this style of drink and are looking for a solution to fill this gap in the market - particularly for the Christmas period.”

Clark continued: “Halewood International shares retailers’ desires to deliver on social responsibility as well as satisfy the market demand, which is why we see the trend in this category moving to lower ABV products with greater focus on the flavour experience. It’s imperative that Sidekick continues to develop in this way, meeting both consumer demand for social responsibility with out taking away the fun.”

Sidekick Splitz has a 14.5% ABV and less than half the alcohol volume of full strength vodka (37.5%) where vodka is 1.125 units of alcohol per 30ml serve compared to just 0.435 for Splitz.

Clark added: “Sidekick has always generated fantastic feedback from the target market in bars, clubs, off licences and supermarkets across the UK and we’re expecting high demand for Splitz.

“We think Splitz will be a big seller for the Christmas period, and we’re urging retailers to capitalise on impulse trading opportunities Splitz offers. As people stock up on wines and spirits for Christmas house parties we think they’ll pop Sidekick in their basket or make it a fun start to a night out.

“We have also produced a number of merchandising solutions to generate standout and to drive impulse purchases; and the range will be supported by PR and sampling activity.”

Product will be available from the end of October 2007. The RRP for a pack of four is £3.49 on the off-trade. A six-pot multi-pack will be available from January 2008.]]> 06 Nov 2007
Herrjlunga Brewery produces the leading cider in Sweden and the company was founded in 1911. The company is under the fourth generation of family ownership and currently produces both Apple and Pear ciders. These are available in 50cl glass bottles at 4.5% ABV.

Halewood International is looking to position the Herrjlunga products as its premium continental cider offering. The move by Halewood aims to capitalise on growing consumer interest in continental ciders on the back of sustained sector growth.

The company is looking to make Herrjlunga available in both the On and Off Trades and the brand already has distribution with Carlsberg Tetley, Makro, Wallace’s, Morton’s and Tesco in Ireland.

Halewood International is looking at an RRP for Herrjlunga products at around £2.00 in the Off Trade and envisages it retailing for around £3.00 in the On Trade with product available to the trade from November 5.

According to John Halewood, Chairman and Chief Executive of Halewood International, “Securing the distribution rights to the Herrjlunga brand represents a major step forward for Halewood International and is a signal of our long term commitment to build share in the cider market and to develop the category. The category has seen significant growth over the past couple of years, initially driven by the over ice serving occasion and since then we have seen growth driven by innovations such as pear and fruit flavoured ciders. We believe this product will enhance consumer choice and further drive innovation across the category as a whole.

Johan Branmark, Managing Director of Herrjlunga Brewery comments, “Halewood is the ideal partner to help drive growth of the Herrjlunga product in the UK and Ireland. The company combines an outstanding track record for innovation with excellent distribution relationships and we believe Herrjlunga will benefit from both of these assets.”]]> 06 Nov 2007
The Lambrini is the brand new dance craze sweeping the nation! The new Lambrini advert launched this week, and girls across the nation are already on their feet and learning the moves.

The dance is set to the addictive soundtrack, The Snake, by Al Wilson and is already proving extremely popular. “The Snake” is a classic original Northern Soul track. The song is available from iTunes to download, and we have enclosed a copy for you on this CD to get a head start on the requests!

Why not encourage your listeners to learn the moves too? By logging on to www.dothelambrini.co.uk, they can learn the moves and perfect the Lambrini. Once they have it down to a fine art, they can get practising with a friend before filming their performance. They can then upload this on to www.dothelambrini.co.uk and bag themselves the chance to become the star of the next Lambrini advert!]]> 17 Oct 2007
The new taste sensation combines natural flavourings with the refreshing sparkle Lambrini is famous for, to create a blush style drink – perfect served perfect served over ice in a wine glass.

Peach joins the growing range of Lambrini products that have become a staple for a generation of consumers who know and love Lambrini as ‘their fizzy wine’. The popularity of the drink means that more bottles of Lambrini are sold every year than Jacob’s Creek – making it the Primark of the drinks market!

Famous for a great tasting value for money drink, Lambrini has also had a sleek and stylish makeover making sure Lambrini bottles look their best in any fridge or at any party with the girls.

Lambrini Peach follows on from the launch of Lambrini Cherry and Lambrini Original.

So with three sparkling options - what’s your favourite flavour?

Peach Lambrini is available in all good supermarkets now. RRP £2.19 for the 75 cl bottle (5.5% abv).]]> 17 Oct 2007
The UK’s best selling vodka energy drink - Red Square Reloaded - is now available in a 250ml slim line can.

Brand owners, Halewood International introduced the new packaging to reinforce the drink’s energy credentials and to encourage the single serve over-ice concept.



Red Square Reloaded contains a shot and a half of triple distilled Red Square Vodka, taurine and a ‘caffeine kick’, with 5.1% ABV.

Aimed primarily at 18-24 year olds, the brand is recognised as an integral part of any party weekend – driven by strong promotional activity linking it to the party capital of the world, Ibiza; and Red Square Reloaded now offers Ibiza in a can.

Red Square Reloaded is also running a ‘World Party’ on-pack promotion on its 70cl bottles, offering consumers the opportunity to win weekenders to the world’s hottest clubbing destinations - including the Iceland Airways Festival in Reykjavik, The Caribbean Festival in Cancun Mexico, and New Years Eve in Pacha Ibiza. The brand’s website www.redsquareworld.com is a focal point of the promotion and allows visitors to make their own movie to send on the friends or rate clubbing venues across the UK and Europe.

Hamish Thomson, senior brand manager for Red Square Reloaded, said:
“Reloaded is the only caffeine based vodka drink that delivers the functional needs of 18-24 year olds. Our new slim line can format will continue to drive this message to consumers, help us to evolve the brand and support our growth in the RTD category, which is worth around £1 billion per year.

“Red Square Reloaded in a can offers a convenient single serving over ice proposition or can be drunk straight from the can, providing the off-trade with an exciting new format for this popular drink.”

The new can format also supports glass free zones and helps bar owners seeking cost-effective solutions in the RTD sector.

Red Square Reloaded in a can will be available to the off-trade in October and has an RRP of £0.99 or £3.99 for a four pack. Reloaded, Reloaded Juiced and Blue Juice are still available in 275ml and 70 cl bottle formats.]]> 17 Oct 2007
Maguires Raspberry, developed to capitalise on female interest in the cider-over-ice category, is made from a pear cider base with natural raspberry fruit flavouring. It has a 4% abv and comes in 500ml glass bottles.

Halewood has also overhauled the packaging for Maguires Pear cider following consumer feedback and is planning an extensive programme of sampling and promotions in the new year.

According to marketing controller Richard Clark, Halewood will launch another Maguires flavour in the spring.

Clark said: “Pear is now seen as a core part of the cider category, but now its time to develop it further.

"We believe the new product will have a strong appeal to women because of its slightly sweeter flavour profile.

"In overhauling the pear packaging we wanted to optimise the design by using mouth-watering, fresh, juicy and bright fruit imagery while still retaining many of the brand’s existing values.”

Defending the timing of the launch, Clark added: “We don’t want cider to be seen as a seasonal drink - the sector has made a rod for its back in that respect.

"The summer concept should be challenged and not perpetuated.”]]> 17 Oct 2007
August 2007 marks the launch of this exciting, fully integrated national marketing campaign for Red Square Reloaded, which will reward clubbers with trips to top party destinations around the World.

The World Party Weekenders on-pack competition will see winners jetting off to some of the best clubbing destinations including the Iceland Airways Festival in Reykjavik, The Caribbean Festival in Cancun Mexico, and New Year Eve in Pacha Ibiza, for the runner-ups there are weekly tickets to the UK’s best clubs.

As well as the opportunity to text and win, Halewood International has created a unique web site for Red Square Reloaded targeted at clubbers aged 18 and above. The website; worldpartyweekenders.com contains information on the best nightspots around the world as well as UK clubs, it also encourages clubbers to share information and compile reviews.

The new bottle design featuring the on-pack promotion can be seen on 70cl bottles, on shelf from the end of August until late November 2007.

The campaign hopes to capture the 18-24 market by tapping into online media. In addition to the new website the campaign will also feature online advertising, viral emails and traditional PR. It is expected that 50% of consumers will be reached over a 13-week period.

Hamish Thomson, Senior Brand Manager for Red Square Reloaded comments: “We have taken Ibiza in a bottle and moved it on a level. Through research we know that 18-24 year olds are travelling far and wide to enjoy the best clubbing experiences, so we wanted Red Square Reloaded to be part of this.

“Reloaded is the only caffeine based vodka drink that can truly deliver upon the functional needs of 18-24 yr old "Weekenders" and this activity demonstrates Red Square's ability to drive continued consumer interest in RTDs. This latest campaign will reinvigorate the category this summer, communicating Red Square's as a brand which is synonymous with aspirational party destinations."

Online support can be found at reloadedweekenders.com]]> 28 Aug 2007
Halewood International, the UK’s largest independent alcohol producer, has made the changes to the brand as part of its strategy to extend its foothold in the mainstream vodka market.



The product, launched in 1992, shot to the 3rd position in the off trade and 4th in the on trade (Neilson May 07) by offering consumers a great quality, triple distilled product without asking them to blow their budget.

Halewood International is offering consumers an even purer product by carbon filtering the liquid for a smoother, cleaner taste – whilst maintaining a good value price point.

The in-house design team at Halewood International have enhanced the appearance of the Red Square Vodka design with a new embossed bottle to generate greater on-shelf stand out.

For the first time, the Red Square Vodka logo, in its iconic red square, will be positioned in a de-bossed panel on the front of the bottle. The colour of the square is a deeper red than previously underlining the brand’s move towards a more premium feel.

The brand’s eagle motif has also been stamped on the back of the bottle making it visible through the liquid and communicating the Red Square Vodka brand heritage.

The bottle itself is more tapered towards the base, giving it a sophisticated silhouette. The straightened shoulders and narrowed neck give the bottle a more defined and elegant appearance.

The brand review will be supported by an extensive On and Off trade marketing campaign encompassing Trade Press, re-launched website, Online activity, collarette promotion and bespoke On-trade activity.

Richard Clark, Marketing Controller for Halewood International comments: “Red Square Vodka has always been a good quality product that delivers excellent value for money. The new look and taste reinforces why our consumers choose Red Square Vodka and allow the brand to exceed expectations.

“The market will always offer a range of products varying from premium to own label – but the majority of vodka drinkers simply want a good quality product for less than a tenner that you would drink with friends at a party. Red Square Vodka delivers every time.”

Red Square Vodka is available in 35cl, 70cl, 1ltr and 1.5ltr bottles, 37.5%ABV]]> 28 Aug 2007
The company has launched the Maguires cider brand to both the On and Off Trade as part of a strategy to drive innovation in the cider category and is aiming to become a significant player in the sector over the next twelve months.

The new brand will initially be available in pear (Maguires Pear) and apple (Maguires Original) variants delivered in a 500ml glass bottle format with both having an ABV of 4.5%.

Maguires has been developed to compete in the over ice sector and the introduction of a pear variants aims to broaden the brand’s appeal beyond existing cider drinkers and specifically to recruit female consumers.

The brand is being targeted at 18-34 B C1 and C2 men and women. The packaging strapline is “refreshingly fruity” and the product is ideal to enjoy with friends and food.

Press release]]> 26 Jun 2007
A fantastic 3-day event celebrating traditional Scottish Fayre at the SECC in Glasgow from the 2nd – 4th November

The event provides the chance to indulge yourself with a huge section of beers wines and one Scotland’s great traditions, Green Ginger wine.

Come and visit the Crabbies Green Ginger Wine stand and enjoy a fabulous Balmoral cocktail blended with Grabbies and collect your free recipe book. Crabbies will also be feature at a very special show price of 2 for £ 5.]]> 03 Apr 2007
A huge thank you to all of you that attended the show and made our stand such a massive success. Were you one of the 27,000 people who attended the show on the Saturday?!

The popularity of our stand again proved to us that the public wanted to see Caribbean Twist at the show. Will you be attending the BBC Good Food Summer Festival? Its going to be a big show & we don't plan to miss out! Come & visit us on stand GF93, Hall 9. We'll be near the Summer Drinks Tasting Theatre. This year the show combines BBC Good Food Summer Festival, BBC Good Homes Live & BBC Gardeners World Live. Hope to see you there!]]> 15 Nov 2006

Crabbie’s heritage, and its status as Scotland’s favourite ginger wine, presented Halewood International with an opportunity to develop its appeal across wider markets.

John Halewood comments:

“Crabbies is the perfect partner for many different spirits in long, cool summer drinks or as a delicious winter warmer. It already achieves impressive sales in the UK, with a loyal customer base. Bolstered by our experience in brand development we believe it represents a great opportunity for us."
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One World will target 25 to 35 year old wine drinkers and be positioned as the “urban wine brand of a new generation.”

Orange Street Red and White from South Africa, and Australian Ocean Point Red and White will be joined by a third wine, Orchid Boulevard, from Argentina, later in the year. All will retail for £4.99

Chalie Richards managing director Bob Rishworth, said “The new One World brand ticks every box – the below the £5 price point is key for the target consumer, as are country of origin and brand name. Consumers want a brand that appeals to their generation with an easygoing approachable style of liquid. One World has been created to answer all consumer concerns and issues. The brand has everything consumers want to see from a modern wine brand.”

Design director Jane Lumby said ”One World is positioned as a wine brand for the new generation of wine drinkers. We will not be following a traditional wine marketing approach but will be using new wave techniques to hit the 25 to 35 year old consumer.”]]> 04 Apr 2006 20 Jan 2006
Further openings were explored and by studying overseas markets operating systems and support networks were created to enable the Company to become a truly international player. Halewood International now exports on average over 500,000 cases of assorted products to more than 40 countries world-wide.

The Company maintains its dynamic, flexible and unique approach in its relationships with all international clients. This gives the Company the confidence when offering products to new customers and when adapting its brands to the individual tastes and cultural preferences of each different market.

Notable achievements to date include:

· Since 2001, Red Square sales in China increased by 155%.

· The Company is one of the fastest-growing drinks producers in South
Africa.

90% of Romanian wine consumed in the U.K. originates from Halewood International.]]> 13 Jan 2006


A marketing campaign reaching 95 per cent of the target market and promotional support for the brands makes Halewood one of the fastest growing drinks producers in South Africa today.

Brands on sale include Caribbean Twist, Red Square, spirits range and Red Square's non alcoholic energy drink. Extensive export business to the African Continent and the Middle East is now under development.

We also have facilities and expertise to deliver a first class contract bottling service.]]> 09 Jan 2006


Today, Halewood International's Romanian operation consists of several wineries and vineyards which are all situated in the major grape producing areas of Romania. To untap the extraordinary quality potential of these regions. Halewood International has invested £5m in vineyards and equipment.



The Romanian operation boasts two sparkling wine facilities and also produces its own Red Square and Caribbean Twist ranges and distributes a number of spirit brands.

Romanian wines are distributed throughout 20 different countries worldwide and Halewood International has contributed significantly to their popularity, showing it is possible to produce high-quality, complex wines which attract the attention and acclaim of wine connoisseurs across the world.]]> 09 Jan 2006
Red Square Reloaded is enjoying excellent sales on the Chinese market. Red Square Ice Lemon and Lime (exclusive to the Chinese market) were launched in December 2001. New products are also now being developed in the Southern region of China.

In October 2004, we are launching our own exclusive range of premium whiskies. In addition, we are launching a premium range of El Dorado rums in collaboration with Demerara Distilleries Ltd, Guyana.

Red Square is selling in Malaysia and Thailand (VS also available). Caribbean Twist was launched in Korea in 2002. Hard Core and Lambrini will soon be available in Japan. We aim to catch every opportunity to develop the Far East market.]]> 09 Jan 2006
Southern Europe has strong links with the UK due to the tourist market, so the brand strength in the UK is mirrored in these vacation destinations. Progression in the Southern European market is dependent on moving these brands into the domestic market by once again adapting them to local tastes.

We are currently distributing our products in Turkey, Austria, Scandinavia, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Iceland, Germany, Cyprus, Greece, Malta, Portugal, Spain, France, Benelux region, Italy, Balearics and Canneries. We are also developing the markets in Slovenia and surrounding regions.

Halewood International demonstrates the ability to be innovative and flexible by identifying market opportunities through closely examining local needs.]]> 24 Nov 2005