To commemorate 30 years of brewing and to celebrate New Orleans’ distinct identity, Abita Brewing has introduced a new set of packages that will “reflect the culture and heritage of the brewery’s neighboring city.”
In a statement, the Louisiana-based craft brewery said it would begin shipping rebranded core products — which have also returned to traditional cardboard basket carriers — this month.
“Abita has become a brand synonymous with the state of Louisiana and the city of New Orleans,” a statement read. “As one of the largest exporters of Louisiana culture nationwide, Abita wanted to be sure its new packaging reflected that.”
The redesigned labels depict traditional New Orleans scenes like a voodoo doctor and a brass band and are aimed at evoking a stronger connection to New Orleans culture.
“A beer’s packaging gives you a snapshot of what’s inside, the culture of the brewery and a preview of the experience you’ll enjoy once you make the purchase,” David Blossman, Abita’s president and CEO said in the release.
Abita currently bottles and cans more than 25 different products, most of which prominently feature the brewery’s logo, name of the beer or a specific ingredient. The redesigned packages, however, elevate individual brands above the brewery logo.
“Abita Beer is brewed for the way we love to live,” Blossman said. “We are proud of where we come from and wanted that to be evident through every aspect of Abita. There was no better time to embrace who we are than as we celebrate 30 years of continued craft brewing success.”
The choice to update Abita’s label art followed a year of strategic moves aimed at improving sales for the top-25 craft producer. Last April, the company was acquired by the private equity-backed Enjoy Beer LLC consortium that hopes to one day purchase multiple craft breweries and become a publicly traded company. That transaction came shortly after Abita had completed a three-year, $30 million brewery expansion that doubled production capacity to 400,000 barrels.
The brewery’s new Amber, Purple Haze and Strawberry Lager packages will hit shelves this month and redesigned versions of its additional flagship, seasonal and harvest series products will be released throughout 2016.
