Ambev
Brazilian brewer Ambev SA has beaten expectations with a 4.6 percent rise in Q2 net income, boosted by record sale volumes for the period despite higher costs. Net income rose to 3.06 billion reais ($583.56 million), ahead of a Refinitiv poll forecast of 2.11 billion. Although total sale volumes grew by 6.1 percent in the period, cost of goods sold per hectoliter jumped 17.8 percent due to high commodity prices.
Asahi
Asahi Super Dry is launching its ‘Discover Modern Tokyo Through Senses’ campaign in Malaysia, which emphasizes the exciting, unknown and fascinating senses of modern Japan. The campaign, which runs from July to August, offers consumers a chance to win the grand prize of a trip to Tokyo for two when they purchase RM20 worth of Asahi Super Dry at participating bars, pubs and supermarkets in a single receipt. Simultaneously, customers can also win the limited-edition Asahi Sense Tokyo t-shirt with any purchase of three large bottles of Asahi Super Dry beer.
Brands
Asahi Super Dry has announced it will abolish the ‘image girl’ spokesmodel position, without any clarification on why. Since the brand launched in 1987, the company has employed an annual “image girl”, normally an up-and-coming model or actress, to serve as a spokesmodel for the year. Asahi is the last of Japan’s four major breweries, including Kirin, Suntory and Sapporo, to end the marketing strategy.
Japanese whisky brand Suntory has launched Sui Gin in the Philippines. Sui Gin is made in Japan with a combination of traditional gin botanicals and Japanese ingredients including yuzu, green tea and ginger, and is a more casual alternative to Suntory’s leading premium craft gin Roku. Sui Gin is now available in S&R stores nationwide as well as GrabMart, Lazada, Boozy, and Boozeshop.
Carlsberg
Carlsberg-owned Finnish brand Karhu has created a wristband alcohol tester. During the Finnish Solstice festival in June, Karhu gave its wristbands to festival-goers to test their blood alcohol concentration and adapt their consumption accordingly. To use the device, users peel back a strip and lick it. Designed by Promilless and backed by the Technical Research Center of Finland (VTT), the wristband is, capable of detecting traces of alcohol in the blood from zero to 0.05 percent.
Companies
Asahi Super Dry has announced the launch of a new mid-strength beer, Asahi Super Dry 3.5%, which will replace its low carb, mid-strength beer Asahi Soukai. Asahi Super Dry 3.5% has distinctive branding to call out the ABV, while showcasing the new beer’s ability to provide the same Karakuchi as full-strength Asahi Super Dry. The launch of the beverage in the Australian market will be supported by an ATL campaign across video on demand, out of home, digital and social channels from next month, as the beer rolls out to venues and retailers.
Lotte
Foul smelling Pepsi Zero Sugar bottles are being investigated in Korea following a series of complaints circulating on social media. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the Gyeonggi local government recently received a formal complaint about the drink and is conducting its own investigation. It is also conducting a comparative investigation by collecting sample products from other regions. The reason for the smell is unclear, but could be due to its distribution in high temperature and high humidity environments.
Suntory
Jim Beam’s parent Beam Suntory will invest $400 million to expand the brand’s Nelson County, Kentucky distillery. The investment will increase Jim Beam’s production capacity and create more than 50 full-time jobs. The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority preliminarily approved a 15-year incentive agreement with the company under the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based agreement can provide up to $3 million in tax incentives based on the company’s investment of up to $436.4 million and annual targets that include the creation and maintenance of 51 Kentucky-resident, full-time jobs across 15 years, paying an average hourly wage of $51 including benefits across those jobs.a
Beam Suntory and Edrington have reached an agreement to sell its Maxxium Russia joint venture business to the local management team. The companies suspended shipments to Russia following the invasion of Ukraine in March and will continue to do so throughout the sale. Maxxium Russia is Beam and Edrington’s last jointly-owned distribution business, as last year the companies agreed to end their joint venture in the UK and Spain and shift to fully-owned structures.
Beam Suntory believes that the revival of travel retail is especially important for its India business to thrive. In the past two years, it has has faced multiple challenges in India due to alcohol taxes and travel bans. However, as borders open and global and local consumers start traveling again, Beam Suntory sees an opportunity for growth. The company believes that by 2026 the number of Indian travelers will be in the top five globally. Furthermore, travel retail is particularly popular amongst Indian shoppers, with 77 percent going into a store every time they travel, and 49 percent of these buying something every time they make a trip.