South Africa’s Appletiser to launch in European market

CAPE TOWN – The Coca-Cola company on Monday announced that its apple juice brand Appletiser is set to take on the European market as it is set to launch in Spain, with new market launches to follow across Western Europe and the Americas.

The Appletiser brand was acquired by the Coca-Cola Company a little over two years ago and had been successfully rolled out across Southern Africa. 

“We knew from the start that we have a very unique beverage in Appletiser, with a strong proposition: 100% fruit juice, full of flavour, and ideal for non-alcoholic drinking occasions,” said Spanish Brand Manager Óscar González Ramírez.

According to a statement, Coca-Cola sent out over 20,000 presentation kits to the Spanish market as an introduction. As hoped, customers fell for the flavour, and Appletiser is now stocked by over 43,000 customers across the country.

“Our strong belief in the brand proposition, combined with the fact that Appletiser is now produced locally in Spain, helped us get the new glass bottler in Bilbao on board at an early stage, building the close relationship you need for a successful launch,” added González Ramírez.

PHOTO: Supplied

The brand is just over 50 years old, having started in 1966 on a farm in Elgin Valley, known for its orchards which produce some of the finest fruit in South Africa. Edmond Lombardi, an apple farmer, had the vision of creating a lightly carbonated refreshing apple beverage and by combining ‘apple’ and ‘appetiser’  Lombardi trademarked the drink as ‘Appletiser’. 

Andrea Shuttleworth, head of marketing for Appletiser, said: “We are proud to see how this local brand has grown, first in its home market and now in Europe and beyond. We look forward to supporting Appletiser as it expands into more of Coca-Cola’s territories.”

– African News Agency (ANA)