NamBrew giving SABMiller a hangover

CAPE TOWN – Brandhouse – the liquor specialist which markets and distributes brands like Heineken, Amstel and Namibia Breweries’ Windhoek Lager under licence – has increased its dominance at the top end of the beer market in South Africa.

This is according to statistics released on Wednesday by Brandhouse, based on ACNielsen National Off Trade raw data.
The statistics showed that Heineken, Amstel and Windhoek had all increased market share in the ‘premium beer sector’ in the 12 months to end March 2010.
Conversely SABMiller’s premium brands – Castle Lite, Hansa Marzan Gold, Peroni and Millers – all showed dips in market share.
The market share changes are significant with Brandhouse and SABMiller upping the ante in their respective marketing campaigns in recent months.
Over the 12 month period SABMiller’s share of the premium beer market had dribbled down from 46,1 per cent at the end of March 2009 to 40,6 per cent at the end of March 2010.
The market share gains by Amstel, Windhoek and Heineken brought Brandhouse’s collective share of the premium beer market to 58,2 per cent in the 12 months to end March 2010 – up around six per cent on the 52,2 per cent market share registered in the corresponding period last year.
In March this year Amstel – recording a market share of 29,4 per cent – was the top-selling premium beer market brand, edging out Castle Lite (which registered a market share of 29,1 per cent) for the month.
While Castle Lite remained the best-selling premium beer brand over the 12 months to end March 2010 with a 30,1 per cent market share (down 1,5 per cent from last year), the biggest growth over the 12 month period was recorded by Amstel (which saw its market share extend by 3,4 per cent to 29,2 per cent).
The ACNielsen figures showed premium beer sales had increased by 8,3 per cent in the 12 months to end March compared with a 3,6 per cent decline in ‘mainstream’ beer. Total beer sales for the 12 month period were down 1,3 per cent.
SABMiller remained by far the dominant player in the total SA beer market, although its market share slipped slightly from 89,8 per cent in the 12 months ending March 2009 to 87,7 per cent in the 12 months to end March 2010.
Market leader Carling Black Label saw its market share crimp 3,2 per cent to 35,4 per cent over the 12 months under review, but market share for Hansa Pilsner edged up 1,2 per cent to 23,7 per cent.
Castle Lager, SABMiller’s flagship beer brand, made a marginal gain in market share to 15,9 per cent of the total beer market in the 12 months to end March 2010.
– Fin24

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