One of Nigeria's best-known drinks has a new face. Nigerian Breweries has unveiled a refreshed visual identity for Maltina, the malt drink it has sold since 1976, ahead of the brand's 50th anniversary, ThisDay and Vanguard reported. The new look runs across glass bottles, cans and PET bottles, and the company says the taste and nutritional content have not changed.
What changed
- A deeper, stronger orange and more prominent gold accents.
- A gold crown cork and brighter sunrays.
- A larger golden barley icon and a bolder calcium coin.
- A new 'Since 1976' heritage mark.
"For 50 years, Maltina has grown alongside generations of Nigerians," said Sarah Agha, marketing director at Nigerian Breweries, according to ThisDay. She described the identity as an evolution of a much-loved brand rather than a break with it, Vanguard reported.
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Around the launch, Maltina is running "What's Your Word?", which invites Nigerians to describe their first impression of the new packs in one word, across media, retail and consumer events. The refreshed packs are going into stores, restaurants, bars and markets with a national media push and trade launches, ThisDay reported. The company repeats long-standing product claims: that one 33cl bottle provides about the calcium of half a glass of milk, and that the Nutrition Society of Nigeria endorses it as a non-alcoholic drink rich in Vitamin A.
The tension in any anniversary refresh is continuity against change, Vanguard noted: packaging drives recognition on a crowded shelf, so the update has to look newer to younger buyers without losing what loyal drinkers look for. Nigerian Breweries has not shared sales figures or consumer research on the new design.
Vanguard argued that success will depend on how consumers respond and whether Maltina can stay relevant in an increasingly crowded market of malt and soft drinks. Agha has framed the one-word campaign as a way to involve drinkers in shaping the brand's next chapter, according to Vanguard. Each answer is also a free piece of social content for the brand.
