Super Bock

Super Bock

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Location	Leça do Balio, Portugal
Opened	1927
Owner(s)	Unicer Bebidas de Portugal, SGPS, SA
Website	www.superbock.pt/global/en
Active beers
Name Type Super Bock Original Pale Lager Super Bock Stout Stout Super Bock Classic Strong Pale Lager Super Bock Abadia Wheat Beer Super Bock Green Lemon flavoured beer Super Bock Sem Álcool Non-alcoholic beer Super Bock Selecção 1927 Range of craft beers Super Bock Mix Super Bock Mix Vodka Limão and Super Bock Mix Caipirinha

Super Bock is a Portuguese beer brand from the Unicer brewery which produces a range of beers under the same name. Established in 1927, Super Bock maintains a leading position in the market and it is among the favourite beer brands of the Portuguese. It is also the best-selling Portuguese beer in the world.

History

Super Bock was created in 1927 and, in 1967, its first adverts were launched under the slogan "The beer that goes beyond your expectations". During the 70s, the company launched a distribution network in Lisbon with 12 delivery vans.

In 1992, Super Bock became the market leader in Portugal, maintaining the preference of beer consumers until today. In 1995, Super Bock was the first Portuguese brand to use product naming in a music festival. Thus, Super Bock Super Rock came to be the biggest rock festival to be held in Portugal and the only one to celebrate 20 consecutive years of the best music. In 1998 and 2001, Super Bock sponsors two of the largest Portuguese cultural events ever: Expo'98 and Porto 2001 (European Capital of Culture).

Super Bock Stout, launched in 2003, sold five million litters with three months of market presence, the value the group estimated to achieve by the end of that year. That same year, the brand entered the segment of non-alcoholic beers with Super Bock Twin. The following year, 2004, Super Bock Green was launched, marking the beginning of a new segment in the beer market in Portugal: beer mixers (flavoured beers).

In 2006, two new beers are launched: Super Bock Tango, the first "gooseberry beer" produced in Portugal, and Abadia, a craft beer recipe - which achieved the highest market share among new releases.

In 2007, Super Bock presented the first Portuguese beer bottle made entirely of aluminium. In the same year, the new range of non-alcoholic Super Bock beers - created through a partnership with the Chemical Engineering Department of Porto University’s Faculty of Engineering - was relaunched. The production of the new Non-Alcoholic Super Bock begins with a base beer - Super Bock Original - from which the aromas are removed. It is then subjected to a process of alcohol removal and, in the end, flavours are returned to the beer. Also a Non-alcoholic Black beer and a Non-alcoholic beer with Peach flavour were launched. In October, the launch of Super Bock Non-Alcoholic Lemon reinforces the range of Unicer non-alcoholic beers.

In 2008, Abadia Ruby and Gold beers - gourmet limited editions - were launched, the same year when Super Bock XpresS bottle was announced - a pressure bottled beer, a partner product of the pressure beer system for domestic use (Super Bock XpresS) that had been put on the market in 2006. During 2008, the brand began a process of restyling of its entire range.

Super Bock Mini with easy opening - a pioneering system, which eliminates the need of a corkscrew - hits the market in 2009. Following this launch, in 2010 begins the sale of the IceBocks - a box to which ice can be added to cool the mini beers -, and is launched the first edition of Super Bock Verão, a more refreshing and low-alcohol beer.

Also in 2010 the range of Super Bock Non-Alcoholic 0.0% has been extended with the launch of a new flavour: Apple. The brand seized this launch to present a new image for its non-alcoholic flavoured beers.

The big focus in 2011 was the launch of Super Bock Classic. In 2012 Super Bock went through a market repositioning process, creating a new brand signature: "Life is Super".

In 2013, Super Bock Selecção 1927 was launched, a range of craft beers in limited and seasonal editions.

In 2015, the best-selling Portuguese beer in the world took on a new commitment with Portuguese consumers, and changed its signature to "Super Bock takes Friendship Seriously". At the same time, Super Bock launched a new range of beers - Super Bock Mix Vodka Lemon and Super Bock Mix Caipirinha - in order to meet the needs of urban consumers, and focusing on night markets.

Internationalization

Outdoor in Luanda, Angola.

Super Bock beer has a cult status among English football supporters; many discovered it during the UEFA Euro 2004 championship in Portugal. However, its history with the supporters of Manchester United goes back into the early 1990s thanks to games against teams like F.C. Porto in the UEFA Champions League and Boavista F.C. in the 2001–02 UEFA Champions League.

Actually Super Bock has been strongly committed to internationalization, especially in European countries (including France and England) and Portuguese speaking countries (namely Brazil, Angola and Mozambique), establishing itself as the best-selling Portuguese beer in the world.

The main export market continues to be Angola, where the group’s best-selling brand beer is Super Bock.

In 2014, Super Bock extends its export market to Arab countries, with the arrival of the first containers with half a million litters of Super Bock Non-Alcoholic 0.0% to Saudi Arabia - thanks to a dealcoholisation process that does not stop the fermentation stage and allows the preservation of the beer’s essential characteristics. After entering the market of Saudi Arabia with Super Bock Non-Alcoholic beers, Unicer now wants to expand its presence in the Middle East.

Brands

According to a brand flavours’ diversification strategy, Super Bock beer is currently available in several varieties in the Portuguese market, including:

• Original (5.2% ABV): Lager beer.
• Sem Álcool: Non-alcoholic variant - Non-alcoholic pilsner (0.0% AVB) and Non-alcoholic black (<0.45% AVB).
• Classic (5.8% ABV): Strong lager beer.
• Abadia (6.4% ABV): Beer with extra fermentation of red tone.
• Stout (5% ABV): Black beer.
• Green (2% ABV): Beer with lemon juice.
• Super Bock Selecção 1927: Range of craft beers.
• Super Box Mix: available in two varieties - Super Bock Mix Vodka Limão and Super Bock Mix Caipirinha.
• Only available in Export markets: 0.0% Non-Alcoholic Super Bock (also available in four flavours: Lemon, Apple, Pomegranate, Strawberry & Dates).

Distinctions

Super Bock was the first Portuguese beer to receive the Quality Certificate by SGS ICS (International Certification Services).

Super Bock range has about 68 gold awards in the international competition Monde Selection de la Qualité, since 1977, between Great Gold Medals and Gold Medals. Presently, Super Bock Original sums up 32 consecutive gold medals. Super Bock Stout was awarded 10 times: one Grand Gold Medal, six Gold Medals and three Silver Medals. Super Bock Green has one Grand Gold Medal, two Gold Medals and two Silver Medals. The Abadia variety, launched in 2006, won its first medal in its first participation (2007).

In 2005, Super Bock won two awards in the 1st edition of the Advertising Effectiveness Awards and got the best result ever in terms of notability, according to data presented to the jury of the Effectiveness Awards. Super Bock Green Campaign by Tempo OMD won the gold award. Launched in 2004, this beer created a new segment in the beverage market in Portugal - the flavoured beers - thus constituting a challenge for the company and bringing a new dynamic to the category.

Unicer Beers - Super Bock and Carlsberg - were distinguished by activation campaigns at point of sale, during the 1st edition of POPAI Awards. In total, Super Bock and Carlsberg received nine awards, specifically four gold, three silver and two bronze trophies.

Sponsorships

Super Bock sponsors Porto Film Festival, Fantasporto, since 1989.

Super Bock was the brand responsible for the activation of summer festivals in Portugal, with the launch in 1995 of Super Bock Super Rock - a festival that from its beginning attracted some of the most prestigious bands and solo performers to Portugal, to act on national stages and even Spanish and Angolan stages. In 2015, the festival returns to Lisbon, celebrating its 20th anniversary in Parque das Nações.

In addition to Super Bock Super Rock, the Super Bock brand is present in major festivals and musical events that take place in Portugal. It is also the official beer of various regional celebrations, at north and south of the country - in Viana do Castelo, Ponte de Lima, Porto, Lisbon, among many others. Super Bock is also a close brand to the students with the sponsor of major academic events, at national level.

In 1998, Super Bock was the official sponsor of Expo'98 (1998 Lisbon World Exhibition), one of the largest Portuguese events, which attracted about 11 million visitors and was considered the best World Exhibition ever by BIE (the intergovernmental organization in charge of overseeing and regulating World Expos). In 2001, the brand sponsors the Porto 2001 (European Capital of Culture), committing once again to the promotion of cultural events.

In 2009, the first edition of the National Creative Industries Prize was promoted, a pioneering initiative in Portugal, organized by Unicer, today associated with Super Bock, and Serralves Foundation, which seeks to receive, evaluate and distinguish Portuguese products, services and brands that contribute to economic and social development of the country.

In 2012, Super Bock was the official sponsor of the 7 Wonders - Beaches of Portugal initiative.

Super Bock has also strongly backed sports through the sponsorship of football teams such as Sporting CP, FC Porto, Clube de Futebol "Os Belenenses" and Vitória Sport Clube.

External links

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See also

• Beer and breweries by region