Radeberger Pilsner drops 0.33-liter individual bottle: switch to GeMeMa pool

It belongs to Radeberger Pilsner like its Saxon homeland or the black and gold brand identity: the individual bottle with the unmistakable embossed name lettering on the neck of the bottle, with which the brand has been successfully active for almost 15 years now. Now, however, the Radeberger Exportbierbrauerei has made a decision: in the future, it will drop its popular individual bottle in the "0.33l container" range - and, also as a contribution to stabilizing the returnable system, which is coming under pressure due to growing complexities, is switching to a pool bottle. And not just any old one: it is relying on the 0.33l longneck pool of the Gesellschaft für Mehrweg-Management (GeMeMa), which is just being launched on the market.

The changeover is already in full swing, the first filling batches have already been filled into the new standardized containers - and will be gradually introduced to the market from the beginning of March: the 0.33l longneck pool bottle is thus gradually replacing the 0.33l individual bottle from Radeberger Pilsner. One less bottle type in the beverage market to sort - reducing complexities for all market participants, at least in this market segment. "Radeberger Pilsner was one of the first beer brands to launch nationally in Germany with an individual bottle - as a response to the NRW pool, which was not regulated, therefore poorly maintained, and above all no longer acceptable in terms of quality," explains Axel Frech, Managing Director of Radeberger Exportbierbrauerei. And he adds, "Today, a decade and a half later, for the very first time there is a real opportunity to set up a regulated pool in the German beer market that will secure the high quality requirements in the long term, make investments in pool containers sensible again - and benefit the brewery's own brand image."

It is therefore only logical that Radeberger Pilsner is now once again at the forefront of the movement, says Frech: "In the interests of the important and sustainable reusable system and thus to safeguard the supply chains of all brewers, we support this pool initiative, which makes sense for the entire industry - and are clearly committed to the now established pool of the Gesellschaft für Mehrweg-Management (GeMeMa), which our parent company helped to initiate. It is a clear signal that we are serious about this pool." And he clarifies: "The 0.33l bottle does not account for the lion's share of our volumes, we don't want to conceal that at all. However, it is precisely this container size that threatens to tip further into individualization - so every contribution counts. And we are happy to make ours."

Nevertheless, the decision to dispense with the established 0.33-liter individual bottle in this container, which is appreciated by many consumers, was not taken lightly: "It's clear that the special bottle is a not insignificant part of the special brand image of our Radeberger Pilsner," says Frech. However, the following also applies: "We are committed to the reusable system. That's why we were happy to seize the opportunity that now presented itself in this segment, and above all with full conviction."

The changeover from the 0.33l individual bottle is already underway, and the exchange in the market will start from March 2021.