UK: Heineken takes Desperados back from SHS

The UK arm of Heineken has taken the marketing, sales and distribution of its Desperados Tequila-flavoured beer in-house in the country.

SHS Sales & Marketing, which has handled the brand in the country since 2009, will return it to Heineken from 1 February, the brewer confirmed yesterday (3 January). In return, SHS has been awarded the UK sales and marketing for Czech lager brand Krusovice from Heineken International. The Gloucester-based firm will also become a “principal distributor” of Sagres, the Portuguese lager marketed in the UK by Heineken.

Heineken said that the two companies have agreed that “the time is right to simplify the route to market” for Desperados, which will be integrated into Heineken’s portfolio of premium and speciality brands.

“Desperado’s performance evidences our ability to accelerate premier beers and lagers towards full market maturity,” said SHS’s MD, Peter Butler. “In Krusovice and Sagres, we see an opportunity to repeat this success by securing optimum positions for two exciting brands in the competitive UK market.”

Prior to SHS, Desperados was distributed in the UK by Asia Pacifc Breweries’ (APB) Tiger Beer. APB is jointly-owned by Heineken and Fraser & Neave.

Desperados is available in the UK on- and off-trade in 33cl bottles.

Tags: beer in UK, Heineken

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