E-Malt.com News article: The Czech Republic and USA: Budejovicky Budvar ships the first consignment of Czechvar beer extension to the US

Budejovicky Budvar has lined up a brand extension for its Czechvar beer in the US, the company announced on November, 22.

The Czech brewer, which sells its Budvar beer under the name Czechvar in the US, confirmed that it has started shipping a dark version of the brand to the country. Czechvar dark will join pale Czechvar on the east and west coasts.

An initial consignment of around 300 hectolitres left the Budvar brewery earlier this week, bound for New Jersey and California. A spokesperson for the company said that the first targets are “selected big cities on the east and west coast”. The spokesperson declined to comment on specific locations, nor would he give details about extending distribution in the country.

Importation will be handled by Connecticut-based United States Beverage, whom Budvar dropped Anheuser-Busch InBev in favour of earlier this year.

Czechvar dark will be on shelves in 30cl bottles from January.

Czechvar is the name Budvar uses for its namesake brand in the US to circumvent its long-standing trademark row with AB InBev in the country.

23 November, 2012