Grupo Modelo
Grupo Modelo is a large
brewery in
Mexico. It maintains a large part of the Mexican beer export market and produces top-selling imported beer in the
United States and
Canada. Its five export brands include
Corona Extra,
Corona Light,
Negra Modelo,
Modelo Especial, and
Pacífico.
["Grupo Model 2005 Annual Report." Grupo Modelo. 2006. Retrieved on August 3, 2006.] Grupo Modelo also brews brands intended solely for the domestic Mexican market, including
Victoria (a recent advertising campaign for this brand was centered on the fact that it is unavailable abroad);
Estrella (a local beer found only in western Mexico); and
León and
Montejo (originally local to
Yucatán but now available nationwide). Grupo Modelo has marketshare of 56% in Mexico
Grupo Modelo is 50 percent owned by
Anheuser-Busch but control of the company remains with the Mexican Partners (direct descendants of the founders of the company) of Grupo Modelo. Grupo Modelo has exclusive rights in Mexico for the import and distribution of beer produced by Anheuser-Busch.
(labelled
Corona Extra, but seldom referred to as such) is the top-selling beer in Mexico and is one of the top-selling beers worldwide. Available in over 150 countries, it is also Mexico's leading export brand. First brewed in 1925 by Cerveceria Modelo on the tenth anniversary of the brewery, is a
lager. In
1997, Corona Extra became the top-selling imported beer in the
United States, surpassing
Heineken. [
1]
Corona beer is available in a variety of bottled presentations, ranging from the 250-ml
ampolleta (labeled
Coronita and just referred as the
cuartito) up to the 940-ml
Corona Familiar (known as the
caguama or
ballena). A
draught version also exists, as does canned Corona in some markets. According to the Gambrinus Company (the current importer of Groupo Modelo products in the Eastern United States,) Corona Light is the top-selling, imported "light" beer in the United States.
Unlike many beers, Corona is bottled in a clear bottle, increasing the opportunity for spoilage. Exposure to sunlight significantly damages the taste of beer, yielding a taste that is often described as "skunky". This is the result of the essential hop oils spoiling due to
UV exposure. However, during distribution, Corona is not typically stored in direct sunlight. Groupo Modelo, brewers of Corona, have most available quality certifications including ISO 9001, 14001 and Six Sigma.
Much of the
barley used to brew Corona originates from the United States and Canada and is transported by railroad.
Corona is light straw in colour and has a very mild flavour, with little hop bitterness. It contains 4.6%
alcohol by volume.
Corona is also facing a nation wide shortage due to a hurricane that damaged two bottle production plants in Mexico last year.This problem has left the east coast short 6.7 million cases. The west coast is short about 5 million.
The original intent of putting a wedge of lime in a Corona bottle was for the purpose of using it to disinfect the rim of the bottle.
It is common in Europe, the United States and Canada for Corona to be served with a slice of lime in the neck. This practice is less common in Mexico itself, outside of areas frequented by tourists. However, beer-lime combinations such as the
Chelada and the
Michelada are popular in Mexico.
In 1998, Eurocermex began trying to register the image of a clear bottle with a slice of lime in the neck as a community trade mark, but on June 30th 2005, the European Court of Justice rejected it as indistinctive.
The outline of a bottle with a slice of lime can be seen in Corona POS Merchandise, as well as the
European Corona website. Interestingly, there is no images of bottles with limes in the
American Corona website or the
Mexican Corona website.
President
Jacques Chirac of France is a well-known drinker of Corona beer
[Mike Zellner "Heady Brand - Brief Article." Latin Trade. October, 1999. Retrieved on August 3, 2006.], and has even been permitted to drink it instead of wine at state dinners hosted by
Elizabeth II.
Modelo was the first brand of the brewery. Corona was introduced on the brewery's tenth anniversary.
In Spain, Corona is sold as Coronita, Corona (Spanish for "Crown") being a trademark of the Spanish Royal family.
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Beer*
Brewery*
Brewing*
History of beer*
Mexican beer*
María Asunción Aramburuzabala*
:Category:Beer and breweries by region
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RateBeer*
UNC research article regarding beer spoilage*
Corona Loses Trade Mark Battle*
about.com's entry on mexican beer*
Licensed Corona Extra Merchandise and Apparel
