WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- The first cases of Red Stripe beer, produced once again in the brand’s homeland of Jamaica, arrived on U.S. retail store shelves and bar and restaurant beer menus as the brand readies for an aggressive plan to energize growth in the United States. Following the acquisition of a controlling stake of Red Stripe in October 2015, Heineken USA has successfully brought production of the brand back to Jamaica as part of the company’s broader mission to deliver import brands that exemplify the transparency and authenticity consumers expect and deserve, according to the White Plains, N.Y.-based company.
After months of planning, staff recruiting, training and equipment upgrades, Red Stripe made good on its commitment to return production of U.S. volumes to Jamaica in September 2016. “We are extremely proud that we have been able to deliver on this commitment. With every bottle made right here in Jamaica, the brand’s authentic Jamaican appeal has been boosted,” said Ricardo Nuncio, Red Stripe’s managing director.
Red Stripe is imported in the United States by Five Points Trading Co., a new Heineken venture aimed at incubating a range of the company’s emerging global brands in the United States.
Red Stripe will kick off its U.S. marketing campaign on Jan. 1, 2017, leveraging the Jamaican culture and small-island roots that created the beer in 1928. In the spring, Red Stripe will unveil a digital discovery platform that taps into the universal passion point of reggae music along with a rewards program that provides unique experiences, content and memorabilia authentic to the brand and Jamaica.
"Red Stripe is poised to connect with consumers in exciting new ways while providing retail partners with the opportunity to build store traffic and drive incremental sales of Red Stripe throughout 2017,” Anguin said.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.