East Africa: East African Breweries wants to increase market share for Guinness till 60%

Guinness beer, a brand of East African Breweries Ltd (EABL) is pushing for 60% market share volumes by year end, Allafrica reported April 30.

The company early in April 2007 launched a new generation of communication dubbed 'Greatness' last month to further popularise the beer with origins in Ireland among drinkers in Africa.

Ms. Hazel Twesigye, the Guinness brand manager said that her company had moved away from using an extra ordinary man, Michael Powers as an icon to an every day man who, they believed has a drop of 'Greatness' in them.

"We expect to grow our market volumes by about 60%. We are also aware that our volumes will not just grow over night but we believe Greatness will address that," Twesigye said in an interview with one of the local dailies last week.

Uganda Breweries Ltd (UBL), a subsidiary of EABL bottles the Guinness brand in Uganda where over Ush340 million (US$197,101) will spent in media campaigns.

The lucrative beer industry in Uganda is dominated by UBL in Jinja (eastern Uganda) and Nile Breweries Ltd, who both fall among the top tax payers in the country.

To bolster market position in the competitive and very loyal Ugandan beer drinking circles, Guinness has taken its campaign to consumer parties, bar promotions and mass media advertising.