E-Malt.com News article: EU: Molson Coors may launch Carling across Europe

Molson Coors’ Carling beer may soon be launched across Europe, Burton Mail posted on August, 14.

Molson Coors is exploring the possibility of selling Carling to several areas across the continent covered by StarBev, which is made up of nine breweries in Central and Eastern Europe and was purchased by the North-America based brewing giant this year.

The business holds large market shares in the likes of Romania, Hungary, Serbia and the Czech Republic and Molson Coors is looking to exploit this by flooding it with its most popular brand.

Molson Coors president Peter Swinburn said: “Looking forward, we are currently examining the possibility of expanding Carling brand into some of the markets but we haven’t yet matched the produce, nor do we have the consumer research back yet.”

Any decision on launching the brand will not be taken until market research is conducted and analysed and would most likely take place in the middle of next year at the earliest.

The firm revealed that its foray into Central Europe is on track to pay dividends over the next few years, despite experiencing weather-related and currency challenges.

Mr Swinburn added: “We’re very satisfied with what we purchased. We think we’ve got a very reasonable deal and it’s going to drive shareholder value to the very early end of expectations.

“Certainly at the moment their action seems justified because the last four weeks we’ve seen high single-digit volume growth from the business and that goes on the back of market share gains we saw in the first half of the year.”

The push to take Carling to Europe will most likely be spearheaded by former Molson Coors UK chief executive Mark Hunter, who is now in charge of the firm’s growing European arm.


15 August, 2012