News Briefs for October 18, 2011
October 18, 2011•Boston Beer Co. is rolling out an offering in the tiny, but fast-growing alcoholic cider segment. Company founder and brewmaster Jim Koch told company wholesalers attending the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) convention in Las Vegas last night that Angry Orchard cider will soon hit markets, having completed successful test marketing in New England. The product, whose price point wasn’t available at press time, will be marketed in three styles in six-packs of 12-ounce bottles, as well as one draft style. While still small, the alcoholic cider category is growing at 25%, “with no strong leader,” Koch said.
•Patrón Spirits has partnered with local player Aspri Spirits to enter India’s spirits market with its flaghip Tequila brand, as well as Ultimat vodka and Pyrat rum. Aspri, whose portfolio also includes Gruppo Campari and Distell brands among others, will distribute Patrón’s offerings in key cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai, focusing on top restaurants, bars, clubs, hotels and premium retail locations.
•Tennessee’s Moore County—home of Jack Daniel’s Lynchburg distillery—is seeking to impose a barrel tax on Jack Daniel’s to fill county government coffers. The proposed tax could levy as much as $10 a barrel, or 3.4 cents per bottle. Moore County claims it would use the revenue to upgrade infrastructure and improve tourism. Brown-Forman argues that the Jack Daniel’s distillery already contributes significantly to the local economy. The county is seeking a public referendum on the issue.
•Heineken USA has appointed Olga Osminkina as senior brand director for Heineken lager. Osminkina will be in charge of integrated marketing strategy and development of the flagship Heineken Lager brand in the U.S. market. She will report directly to Laurent Theodore, vice president of marketing for Heineken USA. Osminkina most recently served as executive director, global marketing, for Estée Lauder companies. The second-largest imported beer in the U.S. market after Corona Extra, Heineken more than doubled in volume between 1995 and 2006, reaching nearly 70 million (2.25-gallon) cases in 2007. Since then it’s declined, falling 2.9% to 58 million cases in 2010, according to Impact Databank.
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