A new Cuban brand, Parranda, has hit the Cuban market amid an avalanche of the most diverse beers imported by both state companies and the private sector for commercialization in foreign exchange.
The result of a joint venture between Cuban trading company Cubron and Swinkels Family Brewers Spain SL, a Spanish subsidiary of the Swinkels Family Brewers Group, this beer with the name of a festival, a nation’s tradition and an intangible cultural heritage of humanity Is. Shows a difference with respect to competition.
One of them is that it is produced in a modern industry located in the Mariel Special Development Zone (ZED), the result of an estimated foreign investment of about $100 million.
“It has a capacity of 1.5 million hectoliters per year, which equates to approximately 800,000 bottles per day that will be available across various sales channels,” said Sophie Jacobs, a member of Paranda’s marketing team.
According to Juan Carlos González, commercial director of Cervecería Cubana SA, which produces La Paranda, the industry is the most modern in the Americas and the most modern among Dutch conglomerate Swinkels Family Brewers, which is selling to Bavaria and Hollandia.
The purpose of this industry, the first of its kind in the ZED, is to supplement the supply of Cuban beer, which is currently insufficient, leading to the import of brands from different countries – up to 10 according to surveys -, a practice that spread. The last phase is with the emergence of micro, small and medium-sized companies.
In addition to Paranda beer, which is already marketed in Havana through magnetic cards in convertible currency, the industry will manufacture alcoholic and non-alcoholic malt-based beverages and other energetics.
Alcohol content of 4.8%, modern lager type, golden colour, with low body and medium-high carbonation being produced in Mariel is not the only peculiarity of this drink and which is marketed in 500ml and 1.5ml format.
Parranda is packaged in recyclable plastic bottles, so energy consumption and emissions of pollutants into the environment are lower than aluminum cans and glass bottles. The bottles have screw caps, which allow them to be opened and closed without losing their characteristics.
During the presentation in Remedios, home of the most famous parandas in Cuba, the joint venture’s chief marketing specialist, Ricardo Luis Hernández, pointed out that the energy costs and pollution caused by this type of recyclable packaging only account for three percent of the demand for their crystals. . equivalent.
It’s containers that use recycled plastic—polyethylene terephthalate, it’s recycled PET plastic—there are three layers, he said.
The first, the container, prevents fluid from leaking out; The second is a gas filter – it prevents the entry of O2 and CO loss2 To maintain carbonation—and third, amber, which gives the bottle its brown color, “protects this very sensitive mixture, the beer, from light and ultraviolet rays (UVA),” he said.
He added that the plastic used for the packaging of Parranda beer guarantees and complies with the standards of product quality and preservation.
As announced, all containers that meet the requirements can be delivered to collection houses or a network of collection centers (for more than 5,000 units). 10 cents in MLC will be paid through the TransferMovil application.
In Cuba, beer is a market dominated by imported brands from Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, the Dominican Republic, Canada, and even China.
Throughout history, the Cuban industry has produced several brands: Tropical, Polar, Hatui, Tinima, Mayabe, Cacique, Manacas, Cristal and Bucanero, narrowing in recent years to only the last two, which are produced in Holguin. Manufactured by a mixed company. ,
Without much public information about the reasons for their almost complete absence from the market, some assortments appear in online offers, sold abroad, with payment in euros or dollars, and in countries such as Mexico.
The proliferation of imported beers has contributed to lowering prices in the private market, where they were quoted for up to 300 pesos and today they can be found for 130 or less.
Action and Reaction
Unsurprisingly, there was a mixed reaction on social media upon the launch of the beer. Forum member Zoe complained: “Another product that doesn’t address a problem ordinary Cubans have, and that doesn’t contain MLC. That’s how we move forward.”
In this regard, the company replied that “Initially, it is distributed in MLC stores, but it aims to expand its presence to establishments that accept payments in CUP, such as MSMEs, bars and restaurants, so that the Cuban public Enjoy it anywhere.” Time and Place”.
Internet user Mario Reynoso said not to forget that “it only costs pennies to produce a liter of beer, so the price in the cup should not be speculative and the profit margin should not be exaggerated.”
Another forum member pointed out: “Another beer to join all the beers already sold in the country? It is necessary to produce food and medicine, have transportation and many other things that we lack.
