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Kenya's burgeoning middle class with exotic tastes keep liquor manufactures on their toes even as bars remain closed over Covid-19

President Kibaki’s favourite beer undergoes transformation even as bars remain closed in Kenya. (Reuters Africa)
  • Consumer feedback, need to provide some excitement for longtime consumers and offer a unique opportunity for a new generation of beer drinkers are some of the criteria Kenya Breweries says it used while designing the new bottle.
  • Cut-throat competition from international beer companies has also seen local breweries burn the midnight oil to stay relevant.
  • The company says it's yet to fill the impact of the coronavirus as Kenyans are urged to stay at home and bars ordered to remain shut following eight new confirmed cases of Covid-19.

With a burgeoning middle class who are quickly developing exotic taste for the finer things in life, liquor companies are now going on an overdrive to stay ahead of the curve.

One of Kenya’s oldest beer brands now has a new brand look. WhiteCap Lager, which used to be former Kenya’s President Mwai Kibaki favourite beer until he quit the brown bottle, is now available in a new glass bottle and pack design.

The new WhiteCap Lager pack includes a redesigned logo adapted from its original, historic form, which proudly highlights its 70-year heritage.

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Consumer feedback, need to provide some excitement for longtime consumers and offer a unique opportunity for a new generation of beer drinkers are some of the criteria Kenya Breweries says it used while designing the new bottle.

“This exercise is the product of a lot of research and numerous conversations with our consumers. Premium brands all across the globe are evolving, as far as positioning is concerned. Packaging is and continues to be a major trailblazer in terms of brand perception and value creation to consumers. This is what we sought to achieve with our repackaging of WhiteCap Lager.” said EABL’s Head of Marketing Beer, AnnJoy Muhoro.

Kenya has a burgeoning middle class who are quickly developing exotic taste for the finer things in life hence why liquor companies are going on an overdrive to stay ahead of the curve and satisfy their new taste. Last week, the company unveiled Baileys Delight targeting local aspirational male and female consumers as it moves expand consumers’ experience within the beverage alcohol market. According to Diageo, Baileys sales grew 8%, with broad based regional growth, apart from Latin America and Caribbean where it was flat.

According to Diageo’s Half Year Results ended in 31st December 2019, Liqueurs represented 6% of Diageo’s net sales and grew 7% with growth in all regions, except Latin America and Caribbean

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Cut-throat competition from international beer companies has also seen local breweries burn the midnight oil to stay relevant.

Case in point, a Danish brewer and maker of Tuborg and Carlsberg beers is set to invest $45 million (Sh4.5 billion) in a factory in Naivasha as it moves to woo Kenyan consumers.

The company says it's yet to fill the impact of the coronavirus as Kenyans are urged to stay at home and bars ordered to remain shut following eight new confirmed cases of Covid-19 bringing to total 15.

On Sunday, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said in order to secure the social distance rule, bars will remain shut until further notice while restaurants are to remain open but only for purposes of facilitating takeaway services.

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