Amarula sales climb in football fan countries

30 Mar 2010

"While Amarula Cream is well-established locally, as well as in Angola, Germany, Canada and Brazil, we have seen other markets with a strong interest in football record double-digit sales volume increases year-on-year for the 12 months to February, notably Nigeria, Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, Argentina and Japan. Duty-free is another channel to benefit," states Werner Swanepoel, global brand spokesperson.

Amarula sales climb in football fan countries

Building awareness

He said the rise in sales in several important markets ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was affirmation of the strategy to capitalise on the steadily building awareness of the soccer tournament.
Last year, brand owner Distell signed an agreement with FIFA, entitling it to market the drink in limited-edition special packaging to commemorate South Africa's hosting of the games.

Swanepoel said both in South Africa and in selected markets elsewhere, the brand had stepped up merchandising and other marketing activity to highlight its association with the games, using soccer shirts, soccer balls and vuvuzelas, while still very much focusing on the intrinsic competitive advantages that had earned it support in over 100 countries.

Environmental responsibility

He confirmed that its investment in research to conserve, protect and manage elephants in their natural environment, as well as in sustainable economic development programmes established in and around the marula-growing region of Phalaborwa and further afield, had also helped to further the brand's reputation, particularly amongst developed nations, where consumers wanted to see evidence of social responsibility.