The Next Big Beer Brand?

Crown Imports is putting more emphasis on its Modelo Especial brand with the release of a new line extension ready to roll out next year.

October 21, 2013

NEW YORK – For Crown Imports, its flagship brand, Corona, receives most of the attention as the top imported beer in the United States, reports CNBC. But it’s the company’s “sleeper” brand that that is showing strong growth: Modelo Especial.

"This brand has been growing year after year for many years," Jim Sabia, chief marketing officer at Crown Imports, told the news source. "One of the strengths of Modelo Especial is that it is not an overnight success. There are still so many opportunities for this brand."

Next year Crown Imports will expand the brand with the release of Modelo Especial Chelada, a blend of beer, tomato, salt and lime. "It's an authentic way they use beer with other ingredients in Mexico," said Sabia. "This is a very traditional Mexican drink that they have enjoyed for many, many years."

One obstacle, or perhaps a great opportunity, for Modelo is consumer awareness. CNBC reports that, according to a 2012 survey, 54% of general market beer drinkers ages 21-34 were unaware of the Modelo Especial brand and 77% have never tried it. Meanwhile, among U.S. Hispanics, 48% of beer drinkers aged 21-34 were unaware of Modelo Especial and 73% had never sampled it.

These untapped beer drinkers could lead the way for Modelo Especial to become Crown Imports’ next Corona.

Sabia told the news source that the goal is to grow Modelo Especial to more than 100 million cases by building on its growing customer base.

"The core Modelo Especial drinker today in the [United] States is the Hispanic consumer from Mexico," Sabia said. "But as we grow the brand, the number one objective is to increase the awareness and trial with other Latinos and other Hispanics not from Mexico. That's the next evolution, the next stage of growth we are targeting."

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