Speaking to investors at the company\u2019s \u2018capital markets day\u2019 in the US this week, the group\u2019s CMO, Marcel Marcondes, said that affordability has become the most significant barrier for this consumer cohort, which accounts for around one third of AB InBev\u2019s total beer volumes. To tackle this, the group intends to introduce more smaller, cheaper pack formats as well as larger, better-value formats.<\/p>\n
Marcondes did not specify which brands could be included in the packaging-innovation drive.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs we face all-time low consumer sentiment and constraints on disposable income, affordability is the number-one reason to reduce consumption,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said.\u00a0\u201cThe data shows huge opportunities to make beer more affordable, especially in developing markets.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTo address that, you will see a lot of packaging innovations, both in smaller formats for lower out of pocket as well as larger formats to deliver more for less.\u201d<\/p>\n
As well as budget-conscious consumers, AB InBev cited internal research showing female drinkers and younger legal-drinking-age (LDA) consumers as the other two main cohorts within \u2018infrequent drinkers\u2019.\u00a0The former \u201cover index\u201d in \u2018Beyond Beer\u2019 brands such as Brutal Fruit and \u2018Balanced Choices\u2019 beverages, including lower-calorie & gluten-free Stella Pure Gold \u2013 two areas Marcondes said AB InBev plans to \u201cdouble down on\u201d.<\/p>\n
Younger LDA consumers, meanwhile, appear to be gravitating toward AB InBev\u2019s flavoured-beer propositions such as Flying Fish and \u2018Beyond Beer\u2019 brands, including Beats and BeatBox RTDs.<\/p>\n