Jägermeister on ‘solid’ growth trajectory

German herbal liqueur brand Jägermeister recorded “solid” single-digit volume growth in 2016, bolstered by the international expansion of its marketing and sales division.

Jägermeister recorded “solid” single-digit volume growth in 2016

Mast-Jägermeister, parent company of Jägermeister, reported that nine-litre case sales grew by 3.5% to 7.1m in 2016, making the brand “a clear overachiever in the global market, despite current economic uncertainties”.

This is equivalent to 91.4 individual 0.7-litre bottle sales, and sees the brand edge ever closer to the 92.2m bottles recorded back in 2013.

“In addition to our native German market, we now directly manage all aspects of marketing and sales in the US and UK – and this strategic move is paying off”, said Michael Volke, who was appointed as CEO, Mast-Jägermeister SE in June last year.

In the United States and Germany – Jägermeister’s largest markets – the brand’s sales performance has “continued at a high level”, while in the UK, the third largest market, sales made “notable advances” with individual bottles topping 6m.

Eastern European and Latin American countries registered “considerable” double-digit growth rates for the brand, while Spain, “a top performer for years”, delivered a double-digit sales increase.

In 2016, Jägermeister continued its expansion into new international markets, and is now represented in 129 countries around the world, up from 117 the previous year.

The brand says it has expanded its presence “above all” in Africa, “securing a solid foundation for long-term success”.

Looking to 2017, Volke said: “We will continue to reap the rewards of our consistent international strategy and the continued global development of the Jägermeister brand. For the current year we also expect moderate sales growth.”

At the end of February, Mast-Jägermeister launched Manifest, the first super-premium line-extension in its 80-year history, “designed to appeal to the more discerning drinker”.