Taste is the sense most often thought of when drinking beer but when thinking back to your last beer, it would be difficult to deny the multi-sensory experience you embarked upon.
Grabbing hold of a Corona Premier and touching the iconic bottle with painted label as the cold temperature is felt in the palm of your hand, signifying a refreshing experience ahead.
Hearing the bottle cap open and the well-known sound of carbonation being freed from the bottle.
Viewing the golden liquid inside as you drop in a splash of green with a lime slice.
Breathing in the subtle aroma of ingredients like barley and hops as you raise the bottle to your mouth.
And finally, the crescendo, tasting notes of a classic cerveza that can only be done by our brewers in Mexico. It’s not just the taste, but the mouthfeel and finish that rounds out the entire experience leaving you thirsty for more.
A multi-sensory experience, indeed.
And while we may not think through each one of those steps with each beer, it is core to what Fernando Aguirre (Vice President of Research & Development – Beer) and his team are dedicated to creating for every one of our consumers.
“As a company who leads the way in the high-end beer category, we need to deliver a high-end drinking experience for our consumers,” says Fernando, whose beer industry experience spans 24 years beginning with Grupo Modelo. “That begins with extensive consumer research to understand how we reach those unmet needs of the consumer with new innovations like Corona Premier.”
Introducing Corona’s first national line extension in 29 years was no small task and Fernando’s team worked extremely close on the cross-functional collaboration and development of Corona Premier.
“Our dream is to create sustainable and unique five-sense experiences for consumers, and Corona Premier was no exception. Everything we do is rooted in a consumer-first mindset. Working closely with the insights, marketing and innovation teams, we are able to take consumer trends and develop a product that exceeds expectations by creating a beer and drinking experience unlike any other product available in market.”
Given Corona Premier’s track record during test markets last year and the success it is already seeing in market after the national launch, Fernando and his team have raised the bar and expectations.
“We wanted to be true to Corona while achieving the appropriate carbs and calories for this beer. In testing several prototypes in the early stages, we found the perfect balance between carbs and calories with a recipe that consumers agreed was not too dry, has a neutral aroma, nice mouthfeel and a crisp finish.”
Fernando’s team also works to research and develop new packaging that is an important part to the multi-sensory experience. In fact, Constellation has invested in a new R&D Tech Center at our Nava Brewery to increase the capabilities for innovation.
“The company is placing a lot of focus around innovation as it is embedded in our growth aspiration. Whether it is brewing or packaging, the investment in the R&D Center will enable more flexibility to test brews and packages on a smaller scale to build new brands and innovate from a position of strength. We are excited to get the facility fully operational and continue our passion to create brands consumers love by taking them on these multi-sensory journeys with our beers.”