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DRINKS INDUSTRY IRELAND | August 2020
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8 April to June quarter could fall by €1.286 billion estimates ITIC
Covid-19 could cost tourism €3.5 billion The Irish Tourism Industry Confederation has estimated that Covid-19 will cost Irish tourism as much as €3.52 billion this year. According to the ITIC, “Assuming Q1 has a -60% impact (March wiped out and no Saint Patrick’s Festival), Q2 sees a -85% impact (when little international business of any serious note happens) and then slow recovery occurs in Q3 (-70%) and Q4 (-50%), the overseas earnings element of the tourism economy for 2020 could amount to as little as €1.58 billion, a Covid-19 cost to Irish tourism of €3.52 billion”. This means that the January to March period value could fall to €305 million from €763 million while the April to June period could see just €227 million in value compared
with 2019’s €1.513 billion in 2019. The July to September quarter could be down by just under €1.3 billion to €547 million from €1.824 billion and the October to December quarter could see values fall from just over €1 billion last year to €500 million this year. If the fares paid to Irish air and sea carriers by international visitors are included, then the total cost of Covid-19 amounts to over €5 billion, states ITIC’s estimate. “The domestic market is likely to recover faster than overseas markets but it is the latter that is the main contributor The July to September quarter could be down by just to Ireland’s tourism industry,” under €1.3 billion to €547 million from €1.824 billion concludes the report. and the October to December quarter could see values fall from just over €1 billion last year to €500 million this year.
8 Significant investment planned behind Budweiser
Ireland – global launchpad for Bud’s new brand ID The C&C Group and the Budweiser Brewing Group UK & Ireland have expanded their existing partnership (dating back to 2009) through an exclusive distribution deal for the Budweiser and Bud Light brands on the island of Ireland following the end of the brewing and distribution agreement with Diageo Ireland last June. According to Interbrand’s 2019 Best Global Brands report, Budweiser is the world’s leading alcohol brand. With this addition of Budweiser and Bud Light brands to its portfolio C&C now has responsibility for the sale and distribution of Budweiser Brewing Group’s complete beer brand range across Ireland. C&C and BBG plan to revitalise the Budweiser brand here in Ireland and reconnect with Irish consumers through a combination of marketing investment and in-pub activations. The planned marketing budget for the brand will be a multiple of recent spend.
a new ‘Cadillac’ bottle with twistoff cap. The new brand identity is being rolled-out together with a range of investments in Irish pubs including new glassware and bar taps. In addition to significant brand investment Budweiser will move away from all plastic packaging by the end of 2020. Budweiser, AB InBev’s largest brand in Europe and present in more than 85 countries globally, is the fourth-biggest lager in the country, according to C&C Group Ireland’s Managing Director Tom C&C and BBG plan to revitalise the Budweiser McCusker who added, “We intend brand here in Ireland and reconnect with Irish consumers through a combination of marketing to capitalise on the inherent investment and in-pub activations. strength of the Budweiser brand and its longstanding position The kegging of Budweiser for the as a lager of choice in Ireland Irish market will take place in Clonmel, with a new visual identity and County Tipperary. significant investment in marketing Ireland is also the world’s launch and in-pub activation”. market for Budweiser’s brand new visual identity including new packaging and
n Ireland’s beverage exports were up nearly 20% in 2019 to €1.71 billion from the previous year’s total of €1.44 billion according to the January to December Goods Exports and Imports statistics released by the CSO recently. Imported beverages too saw a rise of nearly 6% from €861 million to €910 million.
