Jamaica & USA: Jamaican-brewed Red Stripe beer is back in the USA

The first cases of iconic Red Stripe Beer, produced once again in the brand’s homeland of Jamaica, arrive on U.S. retail store shelves and bar & restaurant beer menus as the brand readies its aggressive plan to energize growth in the U.S., Brewbound reported on December 15.

Following the acquisition of a controlling stake of Red Stripe in October 2015, HEINEKEN has successfully brought production of the beloved brand home as part of the company’s broader mission to deliver true import brands that exemplify the transparency and authenticity consumers expect and deserve.

After months of planning, staff recruiting, training and equipment upgrades, Red Stripe made good on its commitment to return production of U.S. volumes to Jamaica in September 2016. The highly anticipated repatriation has already begun to yield significant benefits for the company, the brand and the Jamaican economy.

“We are extremely proud that we have been able to deliver on this commitment. With every bottle made right here in Jamaica, the brand’s authentic Jamaican appeal has been boosted,” said Ricardo Nuncio, Red Stripe’s Managing Director.

The company also hired 80 new workers to support the increase in production. The mainly technical operators work in packaging and logistics.

“This is probably the best outcome of the entire repatriation process. The fact that we can put more Jamaicans to work is simply awesome,” said Nuncio.

“Red Stripe is an iconic brand that perfectly embodies the spirit and culture of Jamaica,” said Andrew Anguin, Senior Brand Manager Caribbean Imports for Five Points Trading Company. “The arrival of the first cases of repatriated Red Stripe in U.S. accounts marks the return of the authentic taste of Jamaica to millions of consumers across the country. Current and future LDA+ fans of Red Stripe can now enjoy the consistently superior quality of Red Stripe wherever they are.”

Red Stripe is imported in the U.S. by Five Points Trading Company. Five Points Trading Company is a new HEINEKEN venture aimed at incubating a range of the company’s emerging global brands back in-house in the U.S., while taking them to new heights by utilizing the resources and expertise of the company’s established distribution network.

“Five Points is named in reference to the five points of HEINEKEN’s iconic red star symbol and America’s first melting pot neighborhood in lower Manhattan,” added Anguin. “Just as Red Stripe embodies Jamaican passion in a bottle, Five Points embodies the diversity and entrepreneurial spirit of its namesake neighborhood. We are thrilled that the establishment of Five Points coincides seamlessly with the arrival of repatriated Red Stripe and the debut of the brand’s “Grab the Good Vibes” platform aimed at embracing and engaging consumers who live to enjoy good times with good friends, no matter what.”

Red Stripe will hit the ground running on January 1, 2017 with a fully integrated campaign that leverages the culture and small island roots that have captivated the hearts and minds of consumers across generations. In the spring, building on the campaign, Red Stripe will unveil a groundbreaking digital discovery platform that taps into the universal passion point of Reggae Music along with a rewards program that provides unique experiences, content and memorabilia authentic to the brand and Jamaica.

Anguin concluded, “With the enhanced focus of Five Points Trading Company and a focused strategic campaign, Red Stripe is poised to connect with consumers in exciting new ways while providing retail partners with the opportunity to build store traffic and drive incremental sales of Red Stripe throughout 2017.”

16 December, 2016