Presumably as a vote of confidence in the buoyancy of the South African beer market, leading brewer SABMiller is to launch Dreher Premium Lager there as an extension of the Dreher range of beers. Said the company's Managing Director Tony van Kralingen:
"This is testimony to our commitment to continue providing the right brand portfolio for our customers and great brand choices for consumers. ... The beer market has historically been resilient in tough economic times and it is likely to perform similarly in the current economic climate. "We see sustainable opportunities in the premium market, even though the sector's growth rate has softened more recently".This brings the total number of premium brands in the SAB stable to seven, and its total brand portfolio to 16. The brewery today has over 60% more brands in its portfolio than it did in 2000 [source: Bizcommunity.com].
