IBBI launches new product

IBBI and S&N; Tigre Bock launch in Nigeria

IBBI and S&N

International Beer and Beverage Industries (IBBI) was built by Brasseries Kronenbourg (BK), the French brewer, and an Indian/Swiss investor in 1982, brewing and selling Kronenbourg, Tusk and Maltonic. BK sold their share in 1991 and in 1995 IBBI together with Sona breweries in Lagos were taken over by the current owner Mr A.K. Mirchandani. Since 1991, both Sona and IBBI have brewed under licence from Brasseries Kronenbourg. IBBI and Sona are part of the Sona group which comprises of six breweries in Nigeria, a glass manufacturer and a packaging company.

Scottish & Newcastle Plc (S&N) is the worlds 7th largest brewer in volume terms, with its biggest operations in Europe, Russia, India and China. Its headquarters are in Edinburgh, Scotland. S&N export to over 60 countries and also brew under license in many parts of the world, including Nigeria. In 2000 S&N bought BK and took over the license agreement with Sona and IBBI.

In 2004 Sona, IBBI and S&N signed a new contract to further develop and strengthen their partnership and to launch new products in the Nigerian market. S&N is today the technical partner of Sona and IBBI, with people on ground in sales and marketing and brewing. S&N also supplies technical support from its operations in France and UK, with training, quality assurance, marketing support etc.
Tigre Bock
Tigre Bock was first produced in 1922 in Strasbourg, France, when Brasseries Kronenbourg took over Brasserie du Tigre (Tiger brewery). It quickly became the biggest brand in France and remained so until 1947 when it was replaced by Kronenbourg lager beer. Since then it has become quite famous in France and is a treasured item among beer lovers across Europe.

Tigre Bock is a premium lager beer made with a recipe from France and raw material from Nigeria. It is a 100% sorghum beer, 70% malted sorghum and 30% plain sorghum which makes it a unique and true Nigerian premium lager. The high international quality of Tigre Bock is consistent and assured with each brew taking approval in France by BK before sales.

Tigre Bock comes in a modern, stylish and unique new bottle produced by our sister company West African Glass Industries (WAGI) in Port Harcourt. It is embossed with the Kronenbourg crest to strengthen the French heritage and re-enforce the international quality. The labelling is a high quality front, neck and back label – the only Nigerian premium lager with three labels. Our crate is blue and unique, made by our sister company Shongai Packaging in Lagos.
Objectives
Our objectives is to launch Tigre Bock into the Nigerian market, starting with the northern part and over time make Tigre Bock a national premium brand. We aim to increase our distribution base and strengthen out position in the market with new and existing customers and create new and exciting business for all our customers and partners. We want to take a big chunk of the premium lager market, as much as 30% over the next five years.
Strategy
Our strategy is to use the existing distribution system for IBBI and Sona group, and to create new routes to market for the premium brand. We want to establish the brand in places of aspiration, to create the correct image and positioning of the brand reflecting the high quality and the premiumness of Tigre Bock.

We have a well thought out and planned launch strategy, with events and parties for the trade, the channel and for the first time the bar staff, the sellers of Tigre Bock to the end consumer. We will have a huge launch party in Abuja on Dec 17 to celebrate the introduction of Tigre Bock in the Nigerian market, and in the weeks following that we will do a lot of in-bar promotions and the Tigre Bock Jamz, music parties every weekend in Abuja and Kaduna.

Our launch is supported by a massive marketing campaign on billboards, press and radio – as well as in the bars and around town on posters. Our presence will be noticed and we will bring the powerful message of the Wild Thang to the consumer. The Wild Thang campaign plays on the strength of the Tiger, on being strong and confident and daring to be adventurous.

We believe we will be successful because we got a great product, one of the best beers in Nigeria at the moment, beautiful packaging with a unique bottle and crate – and we have a dedicated team and a good plan to launch the brand into Nigeria.
Investment and employment
Sona group has so far invested over N1.5bn into IBBI and the Tigre Bock project. This includes new bottles and crates, a new packaging line for the brand and new automation equipment for the brewery. All this is done to meet the European standards required by S&N. For the coming years there will be more investments made in the brewery and in the organisation supporting the brand.

IBBI has and will recruit more people in relation to the Tigre Bock launch. We have so far increased our sales force and our operating staff in the brewery for the new packaging line, and will continue to do so as the brand is rolled out in the Nigerian market. Through the project we also create new business for other Nigerian companies, including our suppliers and customers.
People behind the brand
The marketing manager of IBBI is Mr. O.K. Shittu, who has been with Sona group for over ten years and added great value to the company in his achievement of increasing the volumes and quality of IBBI for the last few years. Mr. Shittu is in charge of the marketing of IBBI and all its brands and is the general manager in charge of all sales and distribution for IBBI.

The new brand manager for the brand is Mr. Fredrick Usman, who will bring the brand into 2006 and help it grow together with Mr. Shittu. Mr. Usman was the commercial manager at Maltex and has insightful experience in the beer industry including some years with Nigerian Breweries.

Mr. Tobias Drogseth is the Sales and Marketing manager for S&N in Nigeria, responsible for the project of launching Tigre Bock into the Nigerian market. Mr. Drogseth has experience from packaging development in Brasseries Kronenbourg and project management from S&N in the UK. He also ran Norway’s biggest cultural festival between 2000 and 2002.

IBBI and S&N
December 16 2005.