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United Dutch Breweries relaunches 3 Horses

Dubai - As per industry estimates, the market size for non-alcoholic malt beverages in the Middle East is more than 680 million litres.

United Dutch Breweries, or UDB, has relaunched 3 Horses, one of its flagship non-alcoholic beverages, in the UAE in a bid to grab a bigger slice of the growing market.
As per industry estimates, the market size for non-alcoholic malt beverages in the Middle East is more than 680 million litres, where the major markets are Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar.
"The Middle East is our biggest market, and we are hoping to get a larger share in the UAE, in particular. Our unique selling point is the distinctive bitter taste of our products, especially 3 Horses, which is acquired by our traditional way of brewing. All our products are brewed and packaged in Germany and Holland. It is different from how it [non-alcoholic beer] is produced in the Gulf region," said Niels de Vos, director of UDB, during the launch event in Dubai.
UDB is headquartered in the Netherlands and exports to over 100 countries. It has a well-established presence in Europe and strong market share across Africa, the Asia-Pacific and the Middle East markets, which account for about 70 per cent of UDB's total sales. In the UAE, the product is being imported and distributed by T. Choithrams & Sons.
"We are among the top distributors in the UAE, importing and distributing more than 50 major brands through a very strong distribution channels that effectively cover all levels of supply chains from hypermarkets, supermarkets, grocery stores to cafeterias and van sales set-ups. Food products comprise almost 85 per cent of our annual turnover, and the rest are non-food. We are excited to launch the new 3 Horses non-alcoholic beverage and aim to spread its reach across the region," said Shanavas Ahmed, business development manager at T. Choithrams & Sons.
"We have always been here [in the UAE] with cans and now we have launched the bottles. Traditionally, we have had a very strong demand in the Middle East but nowadays we are seeing an increase in demand in Europe too. People, both men and women, want to have refreshments, especially in their cars during summers and since drinking and driving is neither recommended nor allowed, a lot of people prefer non-alcoholic drinks such as 3 Horses. This is getting more and more popular across Europe, and is generating demand for our products," added de Vos.
Non-alcoholic drinks account for almost 30 per cent sales of UDB. The company is targeting markets in Asia and bolstering its presence in the Middle East.