CASTLE
Parent Company: Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV
Brand Value: $2,724 million
Headquarter City: Johannesburg
Year on Year Change: -9%
Industry: Beer
Year Formed: 1895
Launched during the Witwatersrand Gold Rush of 1886, Castle is often described as South Africa’s national beer. After the brand achieved popularity with prospectors, its owners founded South African Breweries (SAB) in 1895 to expand its presence. In 1897, SAB became the first industrial IPO on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Now owned by AB InBev, Castle is sold through sub-brands that include Castle Lager, Castle Lite and Castle Milk Stout. Among these, Castle Lite is currently the market leader. The brand is highly resonant with South African history, sports, and social connectedness, with nearly every South African knowing its slogan “It all comes together with a Castle.”