Kingfisher Beer Europe has rebranded as ‘Kingfisher Drinks’ to take account of the ‘dramatic evolution’ the business has gone through over the last few years.
The company was originally set-up over thirty years ago to distribute India’s number one beer, Kingfisher, to the UK and throughout Europe. However, while Kingfisher Beer remains the flagship brand and one of the world’s most popular beers, the company has since broken a lot of new ground.
Firstly, its portfolio is no longer restricted to beer, with Peacock Cider, Makai Spiced Rum and 5 Walla Cream Liqueur all important parts of its offer. Secondly, the company’s footprint now extends far beyond Europe, exporting across the world to markets in North America, South America, Africa and the Middle East.
The company stressed that, while its name has changed, its ethos has not – ‘supplying our customers and ultimately consumers with a selection of high quality, differentiated drinks brands’ – to which end it scours the globe in search of ‘intriguing’ brands to bring back to the UK and Europe.
“As the premiumisation trend continues unabated, we know consumers continue to demand more interesting replacements for their current repertoire of household brand names, whether drinking at home or out in pubs, bars and restaurants,” said the company.
This strategy has seen its sales grow by 67% since 2017, despite the global pandemic and difficult market conditions, with a portfolio of beer brands that includes Sagres from Portugal, Yeastie Boys from New Zealand and most recently, the super-premium Japanese lager, Sapporo.
The company is looking to build on this success, under the guidance of new sales director, Dave Pickering, who said: “This is the most exciting portfolio of brands I have ever sold, and they feel perfectly aligned to the current market dynamics. Combining the brand portfolio with the team we have in place here, I’m confident the next few years will see even greater growth for Kingfisher Drinks.”
Chief operating officer at Kingfisher Drinks, Shaun Goode, added: “This rebrand is the latest step for a company that has been rapidly evolving since 2016. Outside of the name change, the new visual identity gives us a more contemporary feel that helps tell our story of global discovery.”
