UK: Molson Coors bringing China’s Snow beer to the UK market

US beer giant Molson Coors is bringing the world’s best-selling beer — a lager brewed in China — to the UK market, The Drinks Business reported on December 11.

Molson Coors will get the exclusive rights to the sales, distribution and customer marketing of Snow in the UK for both on and off-trade operations in a bid to build the firm’s presence in the ethnic restaurant sector.

The 5% ABV lager is known for its low price, retailing for around $1 per litre in China, and will compete against brands such as Cobra and Singh in the UK’s international restaurant sector.

The move comes as Molson Coors attempts to strengthen its position in the world beer market in off-trade and build a more robust presence in the UK’s international restaurant sector.

Snow, which is brewed by China Resources Enterprise, is the best-selling beer in the world, a title it has held onto for six consecutive years.

Its total volume sales for 2016 are well over double those of its closest competitor, Bud Light.

While the UK’s world beer market has grown by almost 12% in the past year, with a value of around £3.2 bln, beer consumption in China is slowing down. Back in February a study by BMI Research found that the nation’s beer sales have been in steady decline since 2015 and expected to continue their downward trajectory.

Molson Coors UK managing director Phil Whitehead said that in the UK, “consumers’ tastes are continuing to diversify, which makes the beer market more exciting than ever.”

“As drinkers become increasingly knowledgeable about beer, they demand greater choice to allow them to explore a range of flavours and styles.”

“We believe this is a reflection of the general societal shift towards spending on experiences and, in part, the continued food revolution that has been taking place in the UK over the past 10-15 years.”

12 December, 2017