Dos Equis Lager, a brand of White Plains, N.Y.-based Heineken USA, now is available in a unique 5-liter draft keg format.

By expanding the draft experience outside of bars and restaurants, consumers can enjoy the experience of an ice-cold Dos Equis Lager in the safety and comfort of home, or anywhere beer drinkers gather. The new format will be available in Texas beginning in early November, with an expected rollout to additional markets in 2021. With consumers drinking more at home due to the COVID crisis, the 5-liter keg is an innovation timed to meet consumer needs while offering retailers an incremental sales and profit opportunity, the company says citing Numerator Insights Panel.

“On average, a Dos Equis consumer spends four to six times more per serving on a draft beer versus a can or bottle purchased off-premise,” said Adam Jaskol, senior brand manager for Dos Equis, in a statement. “The new 5-liter keg offers consumers the same draft they love at a fraction of the price and brings highly incremental shoppers into retail.

“The 5-liter keg consumer makes 2.8 times the number of shopping trips, and offers a higher average category spend off-premise versus Total Beer,” Jaskol adds citing Nielsen and Numerator Insights Panel data. “We are launching this concept in Texas first, where Dos Equis has the most loyal shoppers among the Top 5 Mexican Import brands, and the highest repeat purchase among all Mexican Imports. While we know this proposition will be a huge success in our stronghold of Texas in 2020, we also believe there is a broader opportunity to recruit younger LDA-plus consumers around the country. Given their preference for draft beer and a higher likelihood to drink at home compared with previous generations, we see a huge expansion opportunity here.”

A comprehensive communications plan supports the launch in Texas, including social media, digital display, eCommerce, search, and geo-targeting around retail locations. High-impact merchandising materials include a fit-for-format display rack, and cooler and beer cave signage. Retailers across all formats can help boost incremental sales opportunities reinforced by bold packaging, a robust support plan and high shopper demand.