On March 18, 1926, a group of Nicaraguan investors founded the Compañía Cervecera de Nicaragua. The first beer produced by the brewery was Cerveza Xolotlan in 1929, followed by the Pilsener and Carta Blanca brands a few years later. In 1942, with the restriction on imports on raw materials, CCN introduced the Cerveza Victoria brand.[1]
In 1996, CCN merged with its competitor, the Industrial Cervecera, S.A. (ICSA), to form the largest brewery in Nicaragua. In 2003, CCN began exporting the Cerveza Toña brand to the U.S. market.[2]
CCN acquired the local water bottling company Agua Pura, S.A. in 2002 and expanded its business to juices and flavored non-carbonated sports drinks.[3]
Products
Victoria
Victoria is a 4.9% pilsen introduced in 1942 and the oldest and one of the most popular beers in Nicaragua. It is sold in 350 ml (12 U.S. fl oz; 12 imp fl oz) bottles and aluminum cans, as well as 1 liter (34 U.S. fl oz; 35 imp fl oz) returnable bottles. It's also sold in half-barrel kegs.
Victoria Light, a softer version of the beer, was introduced in 2004.[4] It is sold in 350 ml (12 U.S. fl oz; 12 imp fl oz) bottles and aluminum cans.
Victoria Frost is a 4.9% pilsen and the only beer in Nicaragua that is produced with a microfiltration process.[5] It is sold in 350 ml (12 U.S. fl oz; 12 imp fl oz) bottles and aluminum cans, as well as 1 liter (34 U.S. fl oz; 35 imp fl oz) returnable bottles.
Victoria Selección Maestro is the first dark brew, it has a 5.1% alcohol content and was introduced as a seasonal item in 2011.[6]
Toña
Toña is a 4.6% lager introduced in 1977 by ICSA as a direct competitor of the Victoria brand. After the 1996 merge, CNN relaunched the Toña brand as a traditional Nicaraguan beer, often associated with the local culture and customs.[7] It is sold in 350 ml (12 U.S. fl oz; 12 imp fl oz) bottles and aluminum cans, and in 1 liter (34 U.S. fl oz; 35 imp fl oz) returnable bottles.
Premium
Premium is a 4.5% lager introduced in 1999 and aimed at consumers who prefer imported brands.[4] It is sold in 350 ml (12 U.S. fl oz; 12 imp fl oz) bottles.