Allied Domecq Spirits &Wine (UK) Ltd, (ADSW) announces the introduction of a new Look Beefeater gin into UK market. Designed to be an up to the minute interpretation of the classic English design, the new bottle has become taller and narrower with a transparent label, giving it an improved presence on-shelf. The new pack retains and enhances the essential Beefeater brand icons, but includes a younger and more assertive Yeoman – a core consumer icon for the Beefeater brand.
Recognised as a significant improvement on the visual impact of Beefeater Gin, the new packaging will add an extra dimension to a brand that continues to enjoy high levels of consumer awareness and retail distribution across the UK.
Based on its high quality premium proposition, Beefeater enjoys a significant advantage over other premium gin brands and is the clear leader in the category. 2001 TGI data suggests that Beefeater is twice as big as its nearest premium competitor in terms of claimed consumers, whilst in terms of prompted awareness Beefeater has 73% recall some 50% higher than its nearest premium competitor. This awareness and claimed usage data makes Beefeater the clear leader in the premium gin category and the second biggest gin brand in the total gin market.
"High levels of brand recognition allied to this new vibrant packaging is going to be a critical factor in the future success of Beefeater especially given our strategy of focusing on the style bar arena" said Rosie Kent, Beefeater brand Manager at ADSW (UK). Kent continues. "The challenge for Beefeater and indeed the whole gin category is to rid itself of the old stuffy image which is endemic within main stream and standard gin brands.
The new packaging, along with Beefeaters premium taste proposition makes the brand a natural choice for the style bar market, where brands such as Gordon's could be considered to be too mainstream. At 40% ABV Beefeater delivers a distinctive and unique gin taste which is not masked through mixing - a core component in style bar culture".
Marketed and sold via ADSW's style bar division Balance, the new Beefeater will form a core brand in their super-premium portfolio. An extensive bar staff education and tasting programme will form the basis for growing distribution and sales.
In the total UK On Trade Beefeater is the number two brand* behind Gordon's, but is almost seven times bigger than its nearest competitor, a position that according to Kent "provides a solid distribution platform from which to build future volumes". Of the On Trade distribution channels Beefeater enjoys most prominence in the independent sector where almost two-thirds of its volumes occur.
In the Off Trade Beefeater is outperforming the total gin market with growth of 1.9% on a MAT basis to February 2001**. During this period the gin market declined by 2.5%. This growth has also been seen in the bi-monthly data that shows the brand growing by a significant 13.1% compared to a 2.7% in the gin market.
Rosie Kent comments "The strength of Beefeater in the take home trade is due to a strong performance over the Christmas period when Beefeater had the second highest rate of sale for premium gins. New distribution in key multiple grocers and the continued growth in the premium gin sector has also fuelled this success. Sales data supports these gains with Beefeater growing by 52% on a MAT basis and a staggering 155.2% over the bi-month in the multiple grocery sector".
"We have felt for some time that the premium status and positioning of Beefeater was not truly reflected in the brand's appearance and believe that the contemporary new-look Beefeater now fully represents the quality and style that makes Beefeater the UK’s number one premium gin brand" concludes Kent.
* AC Nielsen Feb/ March 2001
** AC Nielsen - – Jan / Feb 2001
