Shepherd Neame: ‘We saw an opportunity’ for Whitstable Bay 0.5%
Kent-based brewer Shepherd Neame’s newest beer jumps straight onto the no and low alcohol trend while still doubling down on brand awareness. Jessica Mason reports.
The arrival of Whitstable Bay 0.5% marks another no and low milestone for a well known British beer brand. The launch, which has been created by combining Challenger, Jester, Mosaic and Amarillo hops, also introduces a beer’s recently updated branding.
Shepherd Neame worked with creative agency Thirst Craft to deliver the new design for the beer with the agency revealing that the objective was to continue to make the variant of the Whitstable Bay brand “instantly recognisable”.
Potential for draught
While the beer goes into 500ml bottles, the brewer has admitted it is already also “open to the possibility” of introducing it onto the bar.
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Speaking to the drinks business, Shepherd Neame head of brands Rose Davis said: “It is currently just available in 500ml bottles, though we are open to the possibility of introducing it on draught in the future.”
Shepherd Neame is no stranger to supporting the battlecry of the pub trade in the UK for offering a solid draught beer offer, with its chief executive Jonathan Neame known for stating his adoration of cask ale, even when debates surrounding the dispense of kegged ale arise. This is why the move from packaged beer to a draught format for the new ale is one that seems not just plausible, but inevitable.
Describing the thinking behind the launch, Davis told db that the push for this beer to exist was primarily led by recognising that consumers wanted a “greater choice” of beers. Davis explained that “with demand for no and low alcohol drinks continuing to grow, we saw an opportunity to expand our range and offer customers greater choice”.
Building on success
Revealing more, Davis pointed out that “launching Whitstable Bay 0.5% Pale Ale allows us to build on the success of our Noughty Bear 0.5% IPA and further strengthen our low and no alcohol beer portfolio”. Davis also noted that the creation of the new beer assists in broadening the brewery’s reach across a range of demographics and situations and insisted that the brew helps Shepherd Neame in ensuring it “can cater to a wider variety of customer preferences and occasions”.
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