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Beer drinkers in Europe should start getting ready to samba, says the Belgian newspaper La Dernière Heure, with the news that InBev is preparing the simultaneous launch in 15 countries of its Brahma beer.

Billed by its owner as possessing the true spirit of Brazil and the eighth biggest selling beer brand worldwide, Brahma will be targeted at style-conscious drinkers aged between 25 and 35 years old across the continent, La Dernière Heure says, through a network of cafés and bars selected for their trendiness.

Brahma beer

  
Half Belgian-owned following Interbrew's merger with AmBev to form InBev - and thus explaining why the announcement was made simultaneously in Brussels and Brazil - Brahma's launch, InBev says, will be the first of its kind in the sector to take in so many countries. Asked how much will be spent in advertising to back the launch, however, the company prefers to remain silent, except to say that it will be 'significant'.

"I think we are going to cannibalise other beer brands", Frédéric de Radigues, general manager of Interbrew Benelux, tells La Dernière Heure. "Our challenge is to grow the market by appealing to 25 to 35 year-olds who currently prefer either soft drinks or water. With Brahma, we are going beyond the world of beer".

Seems like a sound proposition? Decide for yourself by clicking on the link below (left) to read the rest of the article for yourself, in French, on the La Dernière Heure website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit InBev and see the launch splashed across its front page, with accompanying press releases in English, French and Dutch.