Schincariol Is Now Brasil Kirin

One year after taking over the company, Japanese group Kirin has plans to launch new brands in Brazil

Exactly one year after taking over Brazilian beverage manufacturer Grupo Schincariol, Japanese multinational Kirin renamed it Brasil Kirin. Product names will not be changed. Brasil Kirin's CEO Gino Di Domenico says that the name change is related to the need to reposition the company.

"Schincariol has grown based on a strong industrial model. Brasil Kirin now sees itself as a brand-driven company. We're no longer essentially industrial and focus on the market and consumers. This means innovation," he explains.

Innovation will come in the form of launches of alcoholic and non-alcoholic products, as well as functional beverages. The new products will probably come from parent company Kirin's portfolio mainly. However, no launches are expected to occur before 2013.

The company is expecting a year-over-year rise of 12 percent in gross revenues – from US$ 3 billion in 2011. According to Domenico, Kirin Brasil recorded an increase in beer sales of 9.9%, versus 3.6% in the market as a whole. The company had a share of 16.6% of the beer market and 6.83% of the soft drink market in Brazil in October.