The challenge to Irn-Bru Scotland's soft drinks market is hotting up with the debut of fresh contestants and the range expansion of popular brands. Irn-Bru continues to be Scotland's leading carbonates brand, outstripping even Pepsi and Coke, and is now among the top 100 UK grocery brands. Its position has turned producer Barr Soft Drinks into the UK's leading independent branded carbonates manufacturer. The company puts a lot of support behind Irn-Bru to retain its position and this year has a national TV and 48 sheet poster campaign. Tizer, another Barr brand, has recently been relaunched in Scotland with TV advertising, sampling and programme sponsorship to reach its core five to12 years old audience. KA has also been launched in Scotland in pineapple and ginger beer flavours. Barr has put its top brands into 250ml PET bottles to capture a bigger slice of the burgeoning children's lunchbox market. However, the most popular format with Scottish consumers remains the 750ml returnable glass bottle. Early this summer the Natural Fruit & Beverage Co mounted a challenge to Irn-Bru, with the launch of Highland Brew. Made in Scotland, it has a similar look and taste to Irn-Bru but at the lower price point of rsp 89p for 2 litre bottle and rsp 25p for 330ml. A 500ml bottle at rsp 25p is about to be launched. The company says the brand has been extremely successful, selling one million litres by the end of August, and gaining listings in the Scottish outlets of Asda, Safeway, Somerfield and Farm Foods. A jellybean flavoured drink for children is to be launched shortly. In a different league is Ella Drinks' all-natural Scottish raspberry adult soft drink Bouvrage. Bouvrage's summer marketing campaign has led to new UK wide listings with two major multiples, plus listings in the Scottish stores of two others. Part of the campaign's success is due to the introduction of Bouvrage in a slimline can as an alternative to its glass bottle, for the convenience and snack retailing market. {{Z SUPPLEMENTS }}

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