Dive Brief:
- Budweiser is unveiling a golden lager infused with nitrogen gas called Budweiser Nitro Gold,Anheuser-Busch said in a statement. The company claims the Nitro specialty brew is a first-of-its-kind golden lager with national distribution.
- The beer giant said the offering comes as consumers look for more premium and nitro-infused beverages. Unlike other nitrogen gas-infused beers, Budweiser Nitro Gold does not require a "widget" to energize the Nitro bubbles inside the can.
- Budweiser Nitro Gold asks消费者打破传统啤酒斟酒habits. Consumers, for example, are encouraged to shake the beer three times and pour the brew down the middle of the glass.
Dive Insight:
As consumers increasingly covet premium-based items, the use of nitrogen has become a popular gimmick for beverage companies.
The decision byAnheuser-Buschto add the gas to a new golden lager not only touts the use of the chemical element, but takes a dig at some of its competitors such as Guinness that use a little ball to create the bubbles as a way to differentiate itself.
Nitro is nothing new to beer, or to other beverage categories such as coffee or soda.PepsiCo last year rolled outNitro Pepsi, which it touted as the first nitrogen-infused soda. Coffee, especially chilled and cold brew varieties that benefit from an injection of nitrogen, has seen explosive growth. The segment skyrocketed 580% between 2011 and 2016, Mintel research noted, with sales remaining strong since then.
Assales of Budweiser,CoorsLightand other brews popular among older adults wane, ABInBev-ownedAnheuserBusch,MolsonCoors and its competitors have partly turned to premium products in a bid to attract consumers back and position their businesses to be more competitive with wine, spirits and craft beers. They've alsoexpanded their reach into other alcoholic optionssuch as hard coffee,kombucha, hard ciders, spiked seltzers and flavored versions of already popular brews, as well as low- or non-alcoholic varieties.
ABInBevsaidpremiumization, a consumer trend across all its markets, is a key priority for the company as it generates incremental growth. These so-called "above core brands," which are responsible for more than a quarter of ABInBev'stotal volume, grew "double-digits" in 2019,the company said in its earnings report last week.Anheuser-Busch's latest nitro beer offering is a sign the brewer aims to build off of that success as it struggles to offset the slide the company faces in some of its larger beers.
With consumers having a larger variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to choose from, companies need to find ways to make their products stand out. ForAnheuserBusch, Budweiser Nitro Gold could resonate with consumers similar to other specialty brews that have been introduced in recent years — such asits自由储备红色啤酒inspired by George Washington and itspartnership with Jim Bean to create Budweiser Reserve Copper Lager. None, however, have beenenough to move the financial needle for the company.
It appears the move by beer companies such asAnheuserBusch to take advantage of the premium trend sweeping food and beverages is a good one, but so far it's not be enough to offset the broader decline sweeping the space unless one or more the new innovations hits it big with consumers.
