Scottish & Newcastle to Market Zywiec Beer

Zywiec beer, Poland's Number 1 premium lager, and Grupa Zywiec's flagship brand, has until today been solely distributed in the UK by Brand Distribution & Development Ltd (BDD).

30/01/09 Scottish & Newcastle UK (S&N UK) has announced that it is exclusively responsible for the marketing and distribution of Zywiec beer in the UK, in agreement with Zywiec's brand owner, Grupa Zywiec (part of Heineken Group).

Zywiec beer, Poland's Number 1 premium lager, and Grupa Zywiec's flagship brand, until has been solely distributed in the UK by Brand Distribution & Development Ltd (BDD).

Commenting on the new agreement, Jonathan Townsend, Speciality Brands Director, S&N UK said: "We are delighted to welcome Zywiec beer as the latest addition to our premium lager portfolio.

"It is already widely regarded as the best and most premium of all Polish beers and represents an exciting opportunity for our business.

"There are over a million Poles currently residing in the UK who are estimated to consume over a million hectolitres of beer per annum, so whilst we recognise that this is a relatively transient target market, which will change in size as some of these Polish nationals decide to return home, there is absolutely no doubt that we will be able to significantly grow the brand in the UK.

"Furthermore, whilst the Polish nationals living in the UK will be an important target market for Zywiec, we will also be targeting the rapidly growing number of British beer connoisseurs who are also buying into this category."

Michael McKeown, Supply Chain and Export Director, Grupa Zywiec said, "We are very pleased with our agreement with Scottish & Newcastle UK.

"Given the strength of its distribution network and depth of experience in the UK beer market, we are confident that S&N UK is well placed to leverage the huge growth potential of our award-winning flagship brand."

This latest development is testament to S&N UK's commitment towards building the success of international beers in the UK market and Zywiec will compliment our existing line up of first class speciality brands, including Singapore's Tiger beer, Italy's Birra Morretti, Austria's Edelweiss and Portugal's Sagres.