China is the world's largest beer-drinking market. For Corona, the country's shortage of high-quality limes presented a challenge, as its beer is best enjoyed with a wedge of lime. More importantly, nearly a quarter of the country's farmers live in poverty.

Instead of simply importing high-quality limes into the country, Corona worked with local authorities and industry leaders from Anyue, a region that used to harvest citric in the past, to provide farmers with the knowledge and tools needed to create a quality lime local industry and expand their yield. But also, connecting the supply infrastructure from Corona with wholesalers such as Carrefour and Wallmart, to guarantee a fair trade for the farmers and push the demand from the final consumers, so any wholesaler can buy the Corona Extra Lime by a simple click on Ab InBev’s supply marketplace.

After over 1000 days of relentless efforts, the new lime brand, Corona Extra Lime, emerged and found its place on the shelves of supermarkets across China. These limes set an unprecedented standard of quality, with an impressive 70% of them being classified as first-grade limes. Notably, they had a remarkable 31% increase in juice content and an acidity level of 4.6pH, rendering them slightly sweeter than common limes.

Not only did Corona Extra Lime improve the experience of drinking Corona beer, but the brand created an entirely new sustainable business that both solved Corona's lime supply problem and provided China's struggling farmers with a critical economic lifeline, since 25% of these farmers live in poverty. Two million limes were sold in the first year alone and all profits from the sales were redirected to the farmers, boosting their income by 21% – and boosting Corona beer sales by 29%. The second year 7 million limes were sold and the profits, again were redirected to the famers, boosting their income by 87% and impacting +825% more farmers. Extra Lime's impact is expected to continue strengthening and expanding over time.

The impact of the campaign was far-reaching. It also captured the attention of the public, garnering over 3.2 billion media impressions and an advertising value equivalence of over $2.2 billion, in earned media.

Overall, Corona’s brand power in China grew by 21% and the campaign earned a Titanium Lion at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in 2023. The Extra Lime Company continues to grow and expand to new frontiers, reaching South Africa. In collaboration with the South African government and Moletele’s farmers we addressed similar challenges to those faced in China:

1. Lime shortage

2. Unemployment rate of 32.6%

3. Only 12% of South Africa harvests bear limes annually.

Working together, SAF developed a way to guarantee lime production all year long. As a result, they have quality limes picked every two months, produce over 70% of Limes, went from 0 to 36,000 Tons and are supplying 900 Corona outlets.