Kingfisher Beer Europe (KBE) has announced that Heineken will brew Kingfisher Beer in the UK on its behalf, as well as handling sales and distribution of the brand to selected national off-trade retail customers.
KBE will continue to take responsibility for overall brand strategy and development of Kingfisher Beer, marketing and promotion of the brand and support for its own directly supplied trade customers in the UK.
The new arrangements will come into effect in October 2013, at the conclusion of KBE’s current UK agreement with Shepherd Neame, with a phased transition of brewing and packaging to Heineken.
Damon Swarbrick, Chief Executive Officer of Kingfisher Beer Europe, commented: “As India’s number one brand we are looking forward to working with HEINEKEN to develop the significant opportunity that exists in the UK market. KBE will remain a standalone brand- focussed business responsible for the sales and marketing of the brand: we have an exciting programme of consumer and customer initiatives, which we look forward to bringing to the market from October 2013”.
Stefan Orlowski, UK Managing Director of Heineken, added: “We are delighted to have reached this important agreement with KBE, allowing them to focus on the development of Kingfisher Beer in the UK whilst drawing on our well established brewing, sales and distribution capability in the UK. It will enable us to expand our range of premium world beers that we can offer through our modern retail customers and Star Pub & Bars Estate and add further diversity and interest to the beer category.”
Both parties are contacting their respective customers over the coming days to brief them on the new arrangements. In the meantime, it is business as usual and customers should continue to order Kingfisher Beer through their existing processes and trade contacts.
