Van Stolk said that the early sales are making for a promising start.
“We will expand rapidly as market feedback guides us. In the meantime, we are starting to experience on and off premise customers requesting product from us based on consumer demand, driven by the announcement that we were bringing Grolsch to South Africa.”
The iconic 450 ml ‘swingtop' bottle and the 330 ml flat-sided crown top are both being made available, imported from the Grolsch brewery in the Netherlands in non-returnable packaging.
Grolsch is being positioned in South Africa as a top-end alternative in the premium beer sector, building on the brewing heritage and master craftsmanship established almost four centuries ago.
The US$4 million launch includes a new television commercial, created specifically for South African consumers. This will be supported by outdoor and print press campaigns. The promotional programme launched late last week and will continue through the end of December. In-store promotions have been planned for about 1,000 outlets including Makro, Ultra and Liquor City.
Early indications are that top-end consumers are opting for the swing pack while the balance are choosing the 330ml pack too. The extended shelf life of Grolsch will help to keep stock situations throughout the country well on par.
South Africa is the first country outside Europe to bring to market Grolsch Premier Lager following the acquisition of Royal Grolsch by SABMiller some five months ago.
