AB InBev relaunches Stella Artois in its domestic market
The brewing giant wants to make Stella Artois a flagship brand in Belgium again. As it is elsewhere in the world, alongside Budweiser and Corona.
Indispensable in Belgium, the Jupiler brand remains above all a regional brand. At AB InBev
, the iconic pilsner names are Stella Artois, Budweiser and Corona.
Created in 1326 in Louvain, Stella is now sold in 104 countries where 11.6 million hectoliters are sold. Restricted to us since a large advertising campaign in 1997, the “luxury pilsner” is about to return to the limelight. The Belgian subsidiary of the brewing giant has decided to relaunch the promotion of Leuven beer on its domestic market.
“We want give new impetus to the brand and offer a positive outlook after a difficult year. We hope to sell more Stella in Belgium, but not at the expense of Jupiler: there is room for two pilsner on the market “, explains Julie Dejonghe, responsible for the Stella Artois brand.
The performance in 2020 is a cause for optimism among group managers. In Belgium, sales of Stella Artois jumped 28% in supermarkets, the “premium” pilsner market share increased by 2.1%.
“Before increasing production at Jupille, the reliability of the plant must first be restored.”
This initiative should not benefit the Jupille site, at least initially. AB InBev’s Liège brewery saw the production of Stella withdrawn a month ago, which it assumed in support of Leuven for export. “Before increasing production at Jupille, we must first restore the reliability of the plant. If social dialogue improves, there will be a bright future for it”, says Laure Stuyck, spokesperson for AB InBev Belgium.