Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) has launched a new brand of gin, the Gilbey’s Mixed Berries. The new drink is a delicious blend of gin and mixed berries to cater to grow its market share.
Speaking at the launch, Victoria Mbugua, the Innovations Manager at KBL stated that the brand aims to address demand from consumers given the success that they have seen with the original Gilbeys brand.
“This is the reason why innovations are very critical for us as a company. It’s because they enable us to grow our market share and it enables us to incorporate more consumers into our portfolio,” said Victoria.
Other brands that the brewer has launched since 2020 include Chrome Gin, Gordon’s Gin, and the Tanqueray Sevilla gin.
In the spirit’s segment, KBL relaunched the MrDowells targeting young consumers as an entry into whiskeys.
“It’s actually the most accessible whiskey we have in the market. It is very critical for us as KBL to bring in new innovations that target the right consumer that bringing new people into our category and enable us to grow our market share in terms of our country so that can maintain our status as the market,” added Victoria.
In June this year, KBL announced its intention to spend Ksh. 1 billion in setting up an additional line for local production of spirits to meet growing consumer demand.
On his part, KBL MD John Musunga said, “Our spirits volumes have increased and it is an opportunity to raise production by having an additional line. Spirits will have an increased role to play in our overall business than they used to do a few years back.”
KBL’s financial results have revealed that mainstream spirits were the top performer, recording a 22% year-on-year growth in Kenya. Premium Spirits recorded a growth in Kenya of 32% year-on-year and Tanzania (38% year-on-year growth) according to EABL Earning Note.