Asahi UK has offered three key Easter tips for wholesale customers, with the alcohol supplier calling the season the second biggest yearly opportunity that typically offers a 20-30% sales uplift compared to the other weeks in the first three months of the year.[1]
Rob Hobart, marketing director at Asahi UK said: “As the second biggest season (behind Christmas), Easter is a pivotal time for beer & lager. In fact, its proximity to major sporting events also makes this period a lucrative window for retailers to drive extra sales. With Easter Sunday falling late this year (20th April), it’s more likely that warmer weather will help category sales too.”
Asahi UK’s three tips:
1. Look for premium opportunities. Easter is a time for socialising and celebrating, so there’s no surprise that premium brands are the main beneficiaries of the seasonal sales spike. Premium lagers over indexed during Easter 2024, growing value share to 24.3% vs 22.4% for Q1 generally.1 Within our range, Peroni Nastro Azzurro is the name to back. Peroni Nastro Azzurro is more closely associated with special occasions than any other lager brand[2] and also grew market share last Easter, rising to 3.2% from 2.9% in Q1 generally.1
2. Get the right formats in place. Retailers should focus on beer mid-packs and large packs, which significantly grow their value share at Easter.1 For Peroni Nastro Azzurro, we recommend stocking 10- and 12-pack bottles to tap into special occasions and 4x440ml and 10x330ml cans to suit more casual gatherings. When thinking about special occasions, 82% of shoppers say they prefer bottles.[3]
3. Mark the occasion. The Easter weekend is a chance for family and friends to get together and socialise in a variety of ways. Whether the plan is for a traditional Easter roast, a more informal party, or even – for the daring – a barbecue, beer & lager has a role to play. If able, retailers should create cross-category displays to help shoppers get everything they need for their celebration with ease. No & low products, such as Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0%, should form part of these displays too, as these products significantly over index in warmer weather.1
Read more: Asahi UK and LWC partner for sustainable delivery project
Peroni update:
Elsewhere at Asahi, Peroni Nastro Azzurro is aiming to recruit younger and more affluent adult shoppers into the growing can segment by changing the shape of its cans, launching a new 10-pack multipack, and rolling out a new look.
Following feedback, the brand will move its 330ml cans from a slimline format to a ‘stubby’ can, reflecting changing shopper perceptions and preferences associated with premium lager.
The cans will first be available in a new easy-opening 10-pack – designed for fridge storage – which is planned to launch at Parfetts.
Hobart said: “Historically, cans have been associated with the economy lager segment, but the format is becoming increasingly important to premium lager. For most premium brands such as Peroni Nastro Azzurro there is now a trend towards a more affluent and younger shopper demographic for cans.”
[1] NielsenIQ- Total Beer data 2024
[2] Brandvue latest year to Nov ‘24
[3] Brewbods UK | Base: 152 | 23/10/2023
