For Bahamian beer drinkers, Bud Light tops the list as their favourite imported beer, perfect for parties, socials, and even at their preferred sports bars and watering holes. Due to current COVID-19 conditions, however, Bud Light fans are being a little more careful about the size and locations of their social gatherings, but COVID has not impeded their ability to indulge in the country’s most imported beer.

Customers cracking open their Bud Light may have even noticed something a little different about their bottles and cans. “We’ve unfortunately become aware of many people who have been purchasing unofficially imported Bud Light” explained Oranique Hamilton, Bud Light Trade Marketing Supervisor for The Bahamas. “Bud Light cares deeply about the product our fans consume and so our distribution partners have created a label unique for The Bahamas, saying ‘The Official Imported Beer of The Bahamas’ on our authorized products.”

For decades Bud Light has manufactured its signature taste by using barley, rice, water, and hops. This process is what gives Bud Light its signature taste, and one that is copyrighted worldwide. “As a company, we are committed to providing our retailers with licensed Bud Light, shipped under the Bahamian Brewery distribution license," said Wellington Seymour, Bahamian Brewery & Beverage Company Ltd., (BBB) Executive Sales and Marketing Manager. “As the official distributor of Anheuser Busch products - including the Bud Light brand, BBB is fully supporting this initiative.”

Bahamian Brewery is the only official distributor for Bud Light in the country, the addition of the label modification is due to the significant amount of product that currently enters The Bahamas from unauthorized sources. “We hope to mitigate the effects of this unofficially imported and distributed product,” explained Elena Gonzalez, Anheuser Busch Bahamas Sales and Marketing Manager. “Our company decided to produce an exclusive label of Bud Light bottles and cans for The Bahamas so that the local authorities and the consumers can differentiate the official Bud Light from the rest. By checking the seal on the side of the label that reads “The Official Imported Beer of The Bahamas” our consumers know it’s the ‘real deal’.”

“Currently about 25% of the Bud Light products are coming unauthorized into the islands,” added Gonzalez. “Those importing Bud Light, not through the authorized dealer are not liable to pay the correct taxes and VAT on their products. This not only hurts our country, our company but also the Bahamian staff who are employed by licensed companies to market and distribute these products.”