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This follows the release of year-end figures that show it defying current beer trends. Relaunched in the UK in 2005, Peroni is the fastest-growing top 10 premium lager, with sales up by over 39% versus last year.

In a premium lager market struggling to retain value, Peroni is building growth while remaining premium-priced versus the market average in all formats.

"The premium lager market is currently polarised," said SABMiller Europe MD Alan Clark. "A number of large, household names are suffering in terms of both volume and value, while Peroni enjoys significant gains. We firmly believe that this is attributable to the robust distribution and pricing strategy we have implemented and the engaging marketing activities of our UK team.

"While other brands are being heavily discounted, we are consciously taking a very different approach. Peroni offers UK consumers a truly aspirational, premium beer which is helping to restore value to the UK market."

Italian style

In the UK, Peroni has focused marketing activities around the brand’s Italian credentials, partnering with chef Giorgio Locatelli to create and promote iconic Italian dishes, working with Italian Vogue to produce a photographic retrospective of '50 years of Italian Style, and later this year working with iconic Italian design brand Alessi to produce bespoke pieces.

The sales strategy has been similarly focused, with distributors Miller Brands UK following a disciplined distribution model to ensure that the brand is stocked and marketed in outlets that can ensure throughput and quality.

Peroni Nastro Azzurro is brewed by SABMiller’s Italian subsidiary, SpA Birra Peroni, and marketed and distributed in the UK by Miller Brands.