Man Utd launches premium lager

Brewer Charles Wells is launching a Manchester United-branded premium lager.

Brewer Charles Wells is launching a Manchester United-branded premium lager.

The new product, which is stronger than its existing Red Tribe brand launched in 1996, will exploit football’s increasingly upmarket image.

Manchester United Premium Lager, with an alcoholic strength of five per cent, will be available in bottles, initially in bars in the North of England, while four per cent proof Red Tribe sells in cans and almost exclusively in the export market.

Charles Wells commercial director Nigel McNally says: “Red Tribe works well in the export trade but the British market wanted something more premium.” Red Tribe has recorded sales of 2 million cans so far.

The new brand may be available in UK supermarkets and in overseas markets where the club has a strong following, such as Scandinavia.

McNally adds: “The leading products are all associating themselves with football. We are turning this around and allowing the clubs to target their own fans.”

The premium lager will be launched in Manchester United’s fan press and will be promoted on poster sites near Old Trafford. Packaging will carry a series of limited edition labels depicting different players.

There are also plans to produce a draft premium lager.