Beverage giant Asahi is set to step up Australia’s beer wars by introducing a mid strength version of VB in a bid to take on top selling drop Great Northern.
For years VB ruled the roost as Australia’s favourite beer — at backyard barbies and tapped at pubs nationwide.
But Great Northern has been the top selling beer in Australia for five years, with its lower 3.5 per cent alcohol content and low carb content a driving force behind its rise.
To try and tap in on the market, a 3.5 per cent “VB mid” will be announced on Friday.
It will be the equivalent of one standard drink and sold alongside the full strength 4.9 per cent VB first brewed in Melbourne in 1854.
VB Mid will be available nationally from March 9, in 30 packs of 375ml cans and six and 24 packs of 375ml stubbies.
And I’m tipping this will go down in the same manner as VB Gold did.
Asahi should replace all their beers with one brand. I call it The Beer. In 3.5% (weak), 7% (normal), 14% (hard), 28% (harder), 56% (David Boon) and 99.99% (Karl Stefanovic) strengths.
Streets has a new range of real ice cream to compete with Connoisseur. They’re in IGA now and coming soon to Woolies and Coles.
Vanilla with Creme Anguiese
Salted Caramel with Honeycomb
Pistachio Swirl with Crushed Biscuits
Affogato with Cookie Crumb
Chocolate with Cookie Crumbs
I tried the Pistachio Swirl with Crushed Biscuits and it was good.
I think you’re right. I just looked up a description of the products and it says Crème Anglaise.
I wonder if they used AI to create the image.
One of the containers says Cookie Crumes which is assumed was a mistake and changed it to Cookie Crumbs. But in the description it says Chocolate with Chocolate Flakes.
Gilmore joins a roster of high-profile global figures recognised in the campaign.
The Dream Team includes tennis legend Serena Williams, astronaut Kellie Gerardi, English football star Chloe Kelly, Indian cricket star Smriti Mandhana, race car driver Regina Sirvent Alvarado, singer Helene Fischer, and mountaineer Zoja Skubis.
To celebrate the campaign locally, Barbie will host a Barbie Dream Charms pop-up in Sydney’s Pitt Street South Mall from 13–15 March.
ACMA seeks feedback on TV alcohol advertising rules
The ACMA has opened an 8 week public consultation on the rules for alcohol advertising on commercial free-to-air TV which will close at 5:00pm, Thursday 30 April 2026.
BWe are seeking submissions from stakeholders and the public to better understand how the current rules are working in practice.
Stakeholder feedback will help the ACMA to assess the effectiveness of the existing safeguards, with a particular focus on:
*the operation and outcomes of current Free TV Code provisions, including the volume, frequency and placement of alcohol advertising in sport and non-sport programming
*the evidence on the links between exposure to alcohol advertising, consumption behaviours and wider social impacts
*the economic contribution of alcohol advertising to commercial free-to-air television.
Issues out of scope of the review are:
*the content of alcohol advertisements or programs, and
*other advertising restrictions covered by existing industry codes and standards.
The review will provide an evidence base to be used by:
*industry, to be considered in the development of a revised code of practice, and
*the ACMA, to assess whether strengthened regulatory intervention is required, such as a program standard.
