The move, which forms part of a “multi-million-euro” investment by the group, will leverage the brand’s founding year in its visual identity. Also featuring an updated logo and the signature of the namesake abbey’s provisor & lead brewer, Father Karel Stautemas, ‘1128 by Grimbergen’ will appear on all three beers in the portfolio.
The repositioning was announced at the abbey, in the town of Grimbergen, by Father Karel and Carlsberg CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen yesterday. The pair also led on the official opening of a new visitor experience at the abbey.
“Grimbergen is at the very heart of Carlsberg’s premium brands portfolio and is contributing significantly to the continued growth we are seeing in this category,” said Andersen. “They (the changes) are a testament to Carlsberg’s brand-building investments over the last six years and to the long-term ambition to invest further and to continue to grow this special premium brand.”
Three years ago, Carlsberg completed construction of Grimbergen’s new brewery, which returned to the same site as the abbey for the first time in 200 years. Speaking exclusively to Global Drinks Intel yesterday, Andersen admitted that the growth potential for the beer lies more in Europe than in Asia, where “the density, higher ABV and strong flavours of abbey beer don’t do particularly well”.
Andersen also noted that the brand’s volumes have quadrupled since 2008.
