For Day of the Dead, a drop of marigold in your beer

Published October 23rd, 2021

Mexican beer drinkers already have a special seasonal brew for Christmas: Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma’s Nochebuena. Now there’s one for the Day of the Dead too.

Rival beer maker Grupo Modelo turned to an iconic Day of the Dead flower in the creation of its new beer, Victoria Cempasúchil. The beverage contains marigold extract and comes in a specially designed can be created by Mexican illustrator Revost. The beer will be available throughout the Day of the Dead season, the company said.

Marigolds are traditionally used to adorn altars and graves on Day of the Dead and have been used since pre-Hispanic times for food and medicinal purposes.

“This innovation will not only bring the flavor of marigolds into Mexican homes, it will also be a messenger since a few lucky people will get to customize a can of Victoria Cempasúchil with a commemorative message to those who are no longer with us,” the company said in a press release.

Participants can submit their messages to deceased loved ones through a company website. Then 240 winners will be selected and their messages printed on special edition cans of the beverage.

The new beer celebrates 2021, a year of reunions, the company said.

“We all are coming out of a long pause during which we stopped seeing the people we love the most; now every moment is a reunion and Day of the Dead is the ideal opportunity [for those reunions], including those with people who are no longer with us,” Grupo Modelo said.

According to market researcher Euromonitor International, Victoria is the beer with the third-largest market share in the country. This year marks Cerveza Victoria’s eighth year of seasonal marketing campaigns.