″The Big Four″: An Examination of the International Drinks Industry

The world liquor market is considered from the viewpoint of the four major groups within the industry, with particular reference to the United Distillers Group (UDG). The three issues of global consumption trends, global competitive structure and the UDG strategic response are analysed. A key factor affecting the industry is that the number of competitors continues to decline as companies merge and as brands are increasingly produced for mass markets.