SABMiller announced yesterday their intention to bring four of the beer brands they own worldwide into the United States, presumably to bolster sagging sales of their core brands. Beginning next year, “Colombia’s Águila, two Peruvian brands, Cristal and Cusqueña, and Polish brew Tyskie will join SABMiller’s global brand Pilsner Urquell and Peroni on US shelves.”
All four will be sold in the New York market, whereas Tyskie will also be sold in the Chicago area and the three Latin American beers will also be in the Florida market.
According to Just Drinks, “SABMiller’s stable of US beers has struggled domestically. For the three months to the end of June, domestic sales to retailers fell 2.4%. Miller Lite brand volumes were level in the period.”
Miller’s press release has the following information about the four brands:
Águila is Colombia’s No. 1 brand with a 56 percent market share. It is a cultural icon, dominating the Colombian social and sports landscape. With nearly 2 million expatriate Colombians living in the US, there is a sizable market to pursue
Brewed since 1922, Cristal is Peru’s No. 1 selling beer with 52 percent share, combining a light-bodied profile with strong Andean imagery. It has been the No. 1 US import from South America for the last seven years, primarily appealing to the approximately one million Peruvian consumers in the US
Cusqueña – or “Gold of the Incas” – is the premium beer of Peru, and originates from Cuzco, the seat of the Inca empire
Tyskie, currently celebrating its 377th anniversary, is the No 1. brand in Poland, Central Europe’s leading beer growth market. The brand is rich in heritage from its origins near the beautiful city of Krakow and has since been elevated to national prominence, appealing to discerning consumers as the finest Polish beer with a full, satisfying taste