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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

AMARULA GLOWS GOLD IN THE US

ISSUED BY DKC (DE KOCK COMMUNICATIONS)  FOR AMARULA CREAM

Amarula Cream, one of South Africa's most famous exports and also the country's only brand to make it on to the Impact Databank list of global top 100 premium spirits brands, has won gold at the 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

The latest competitive coup in a series of international accolades for the brand comes in the wake of continued growth across many parts of the world. Achieving double digit year-on-year volume increases in Africa, Asia Pacific and the global duty-free channel, the Spirit of Africa is still wowing many of its traditional markets such as Germany, where a momentum of spectacular growth is being maintained, according to the brand’s global marketing spokesperson, Adéle Ankiewicz.

"We are encouraged by the strong growth in newer markets such as Angola, South Sudan, Mozambique, the UAE, Thailand and Vietnam but also by the fact that Amarula is still turning heads in Europe and the Americas. That it is able to sustain such strong growth in Germany, one of its key markets, where the brand is already very well-established, is an indicator of its robust health."

She said the cream-based drink with a 17% alcohol by volume (ABV) had been voted one of the world's top bar brands in a global survey polling restaurant owners and mixologists and commissioned by Drinks International and published last year.

The gold medal awarded in San Francisco was an important endorsement in the US, a highly competitive market. "Historically, Amarula Cream has excelled on platforms such as the UK-based International Wine & Spirit Competition and is a former winner of its Worldwide Best Liqueur title. This latest medal speaks to a specifically American audience, where we are also actively building our support base."

She was also confident that the newly launched Amarula Gold, the brand's first new drink in 25 years, would further advance visibility and sales. The clear, golden-coloured spirit with a 30% ABV was launched this month in South Africa and in global travel retail.  It would be released into other key markets from September. "The initial response has been even more positive than we anticipated and indications from exposure on trade shows and taste trials are that it will appeal to a broad consumer base.

Amarula Gold, like its Cream counterpart, is made from the fruit of the marula tree that is fermented into wine and then twice distilled as a spirit before being aged for two years in French oak.