KBL Responds to Changing Tastes With a Beer Made From Apple

Kenya Breweries Limited has launched a new alcoholic beverage – Sikera Premium Apple Cider – a distinctly light and refreshing, premium drink.

A cider is an alcoholic beverage typically made from crushed apples. Available in bars and restaurants – and best served chilled – Sikera Premium Apple Cider comes in a 300ml bottle pack with an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 4.5% and at a price of Ksh150. 

Speaking at the launch event in Mombasa, KBL Managing Director Mrs Jane Karuku said the twin desire of recruiting new consumers and responding to their changing tastes and preferences led to the development of Sikera Premium Apple Cider .

The launch of Sikera Premium Apple Cider follows the hugely successful introduction of Kenya’s first locally-produced cider, Tusker Premium Cider three years ago.  

“Sikera’s launch is the result of a recently-conducted consumer study on the trends driving the alcohol beverage market in our industry. These consumer insights then informed our innovation efforts extending our cider category, to provide a broader variety to our consumers,” said Mrs Karuku

This new brand is geared at supporting KBL business agenda to accelerate growth in innovation, which has enabled the brewer to both recruit new consumers as well as provide a wider variety of products.

EABL Marketing and Innovations Director Graham Villiers-Tuthill said Sikera Premium Apple Cider connects with an ever-evolving consumer base through flavoured offerings.

“This new to world brand has been specifically developed to meet the changing palette and consumption behaviour of consumers in Kenya. Sikera is a crisp, light and refreshing apple cider, and early consumer feedback to this fresh new offering has been very positive,” said Villiers-Tuthill.

Sikera Apple Cider will be launched across the country in the coming weeks with expected roll-out to market in the coming days. KBL has prioritised innovations as one of the company’s key growth pillars, with its innovations contributing 22% of East African Breweries Limited’s revenue in the financial year ending June 2019.

Recent innovations include Tusker Cider, Captain Morgan Gold and Black & White.