By Andrew Starke
Diageo’s Irish export brands Guinness and Kilkenny have received a makeover and are now available locally in a six-pack draught can format.
The upgrade from four-packs to six-packs is designed to let both Guinness and Kilkenny present consumers with a competitively priced option as they compete with brands in the craft beer category.
With Diageo’s in-house research placing craft beer basket spend ten percent higher on average than other categories, the new pack sizes will hope to benefit both retailers and consumers.
While it is debatable whether either Guinness or Kilkenny can be considered ‘small, independent, and traditional’, the working definition of a craft beer, it makes sense for the Irish dry stout and cream ale to compete for this marketshare.
By up-selling consumers, retailers have the opportunity to trade consumers up to a higher price point and maximise profits through increased cash margin sales.
“With Guinness in growth globally at 1.7 percent and craft beer currently enjoying a strong performance with consumers, it makes sense to align both Irish beers with the pack sizes of other beers in the same category,” said Sam Reid, marketing manager for Guinness.
”We believe the move will be beneficial to both the retailer and consumer, who we hope will continue to embrace both brands when making their craft beer choices.”
The new packaging format includes a 440ml size with a 4.2 percent ABV for Guinness, and 4.3 percent ABV for Kilkenny.
Both beers will retail for $19.99 and will be available to the trade from July 11.