James is The Grocer’s drinks editor. He covers a broad range of topics including but not limited to NPD, M&A, government legislation, marketing campaigns and new hires across alcohol, soft drinks, packaged water and hot beverages. Before joining The Grocer in 2023, he was the deputy editor at B2B title Just Drinks, a role which saw him grill CEOs at some of the biggest drinks companies in the world, including Carlsberg, Pernod Ricard, Diageo and Campari. He began his career in journalism at The Morning Advertiser, where he won two British Guild of Beer Writers’ Awards for his writing including Young Beer Writer of the Year in 2017. He has also freelanced for titles including The Brewers Journal, Brewer & Distiller International and Ferment magazine, and – during a brief stint out of journalism – worked in communications and marketing for drinks suppliers in both the UK and New Zealand. His drink of choice is a French Negroni with a splash of PX Sherry.