Celtia

Lore & Background

Celtia was launched in 1951 by the Tunisian Beverage Manufacturing Company (SFBT), owned by Mohamed Aziz Ibrahim Jed, with the aim of capturing the luxury beer segment. The beer was named after the wife of the then director of SFBT. Since its creation, it has been produced in the SFBT malt house in the Bab Saadoun district of Tunis. Barley and malt were grown in Tunisia until the mid-1980s, but are now imported from France or Germany.

Celtia cans were introduced in 1986, and kegs in 1992. Despite the arrival of Heineken in Tunisia in 2009, Celtia continues to dominate the national market. In 2011 and 2012, the brand showed its strongest growth, with volume increases of around 15% and 13% respectively. However, the increase in alcohol taxes voted by the troïka in the 2013 finance law temporarily dampened this dynamic, raising the unit price of a 24 cl can from 1,100 dinar to 1,370 dinar.

The brand exploits the trend of consuming local products and sponsors various events in Tunisia. It has become a symbol of patriotism and the dream of a better tomorrow. Artists such as the caricaturist _Z_ have used the cans as an ambivalent symbol: a popular beer that brands itself as a luxury beer, or a quasi-state flagship that is also sold on the black market.

Reader's Guide

Celtia holds a unique position in Tunisia as both a mass-market staple and a self-styled luxury beer. Its packaging—red and white with black lettering in gothic characters—prominently displays the phrase 'Bière de luxe' (luxury beer). The brand's dominance is reflected in its production figures: in 2011 it produced over 1.4 million hectoliters, and by 2017 cans accounted for 62% of output, with glass bottles at 35% and barrels at 3%. Its distribution extends beyond Tunisia through the 'Allo Celtia' online sales project launched in 2012, which made the beer available in Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, with plans for France. The beer is also served on Tunisair flights. Despite the alcohol tax increase in 2013, Celtia remains the leading beer in Tunisia, its identity intertwined with national pride and local consumption trends.

Did You Know?

• In 2017, cans made up 62% of Celtia production.
• The 'Allo Celtia' project launched online sales in Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.