Peroni

What to do with an Italian brewer bought by an ambitious SAB Miller, determined to make up for many years trapped behind the wall of apartheid?

Conventional wisdom said play down the Italian heritage; “The Italians don’t make beer. The Germans make beer. Even Moretti, the only other Italian beer, has a picture of a German on the label.” True enough, but what Italy lacked in beer credibility it more than made up for in style. Prada, Versace, Armani, Moschino… the list is endless.

Ever since Fellini released La Dolce Vita in 1960, Italian Style had reached into the furthest corners of world. From that strategic insight, Nastro Azzurro was rebranded to Peroni, and the world’s most stylish beer was born, with a debut on London’s Sloane Street; the single bottle in a locked store, guarded by a swarthy doorman. The brand was subsequently bought by Asahi for £2 billion and remains the best-selling premium beer in the UK.