Diageo unveiled on Thursday, December 25, 2014 its new product, Zemen Beer, and it has entered the Ethiopian beer market on the same day.

Diageo, which is a multinational alcoholic beverages company and owner of Meta Abo Brewery, has been working on its new product for the past two years. Zemen is said to have a 4.5 percent alcohol by volume.

Managing Director of Meta Abo, Francis Agbonlahor, introduced the product at Capital Hotel. He further commented, “Some of our esteemed customers have told us to make our product a bit light as Meta is known for its stronger alcoholic content”.

The newly introduced beer, which is bottled in a 330 milliliter bottle, has distinctive features, the company’s corporate relations director Bahakal Abate explained. He noted the bottle has customer warning symbols which have never been used by other Ethiopian beers. 18+, pregnancy caution, and motor restriction (don’t drink and drive display) have been placed in the neck of the new Meta's products.

Zemen Beer is going to be available for 10 Birr for the rest of the production period. Nonetheless, Meta will not intervene in the liberal market in the aim of rubbing out the factory price and tag its rate.

Meta is preparing to start its brand campaign on underage drinking. This is in addition to its earlier famous campaign on drinking and driving which it dubbed Shum Shufair.

“We are among the alcohol companies who have signed an international document known as ‘CEO Commitments’ to implement the World Health Organization’s global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol,” Francis noted.

Ethiopia’s brewery market has been ion a significant move ever since Diageo and Heineken took over the old and state-owned factories a few years ago.

On the eve of Ethiopian New Year Heineken introduced its latest brand, Walya. Now on the eve of 2015 Diageo brought its new beer product. In the near future Raya and
Habesha are expected to join the beer market. Commenting on this Francis said, “Strong moment for Meta”.

Source: The Reporter