Ahead of Memorial Day, Budweiser is bringing back a lineup of patriotic packaging in an effort to raise money for armed forces members.
The beer company’s lineup of bottles and cans features military-inspired bottles with the word “America” in place of “Budweiser” and a new bottle in camouflage, according to a release from the company Tuesday. The bottles also feature the words “America,” United States motto “E Pluribus Unum” and lyrics to the Star-Spangled Banner. Up to $1 million in proceeds from the patriotic products sold now through May 29 will go toward Folds of Honor, a non-profit that helps provide scholarships to fallen and disabled service-members’ families, the release said.
The design change was met with controversy when it launched last year as Budweiser is brewed in the United States while the parent company AB InBev is based in Belgium, Business Insider reports. Microbrewery owner Will McCameron called the “America” label “the most un-American think I’ve observed in quite a while,” in a blog post on the craft beer website Brew Studs.
“Our goal is to remind Budweiser drinkers of the courage and sacrifice made by all American service men and women who protect our nation and our freedoms,” said Budweiser vice president Ricardo Marques in a statement.
Budweiser has previously donated $11 million to the Folds of Honor organization, according to the company’s release.
“Budweiser continues to be an amazing partner and member of the Folds of Honor family. Their unwavering commitment to service men and women along with veterans is truly commendable,” Major Dan Rooney, founder and CEO of Folds of Honor, said in a statement.
