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Drinks company Diageo has announced that it is changing the name of its US beer business from Diageo-Guinness USA to Diageo Beer Company USA to reflect the group’s brewing credentials and commitment to the premium beer category.
The decision follows “several months” of strategy work that looked at how to best position Diageo’s US beer business for future growth, the company said.
“Diageo Beer Company USA will be a forward-thinking premium beer company, rooted in our brewing heritage and focused on brands, customers and consumers,” said Tom Day, president of Diageo Beer Company USA. “While Guinness will of course continue to play an essential role in our beer portfolio, the new Diageo Beer Company USA name will help highlight the contributions and potential of our other great brands like Smirnoff Ice, Smithwick’s and Harp.”
For the past few years, Diageo has focused on investing in Guinness and Smirnoff Ice – the two largest brands that currently make up the majority of its US business. The Guinness brand was repositioned as a brewer with emphasis on the variety of its beers, while the priority for Smirnoff Ice has been to ensure that the brand has the right offerings for today’s consumers.
“We have confidence in the position of our two largest brands and are excited for what’s to come over the next year,” continued Day. “This change truly represents a culture and mindset shift for Diageo’s US beer business.”
Diageo Beer Company USA will be increasing investment in the Smithwick’s and Harp brands, and also has a pipeline of innovation planned for beer and flavoured malt beverages.
As part of the renewed focus on its broader beer portfolio, the company has announced several collaborations and exceptional new products – including partnering with renowned drinks architect Steve Grasse to create a planned new-to-world crafted hard soda line called Quaker City Malting Co; launching a new Smirnoff Spiked sparkling seltzer line; and planning a collaboration with the hosts of New York’s top-rated radio sports show to create a limited-release Smithwick’s variant, in aid of an unnamed charity partner.
“More and more American beer drinkers are interested in experimenting with new styles and brands. That’s evident with the continued proliferation of craft beers and traditional flavoured malt beverages, as well as the rise of hard sodas, spiked seltzers and ciders,” said Day. “We’re confident that those consumers will love the high quality and variety of our new offerings from Smithwick’s, Smirnoff Ice and Quaker City Malting Co, and, as always, we will be encouraging consumers to enjoy our products responsibly.”
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