Australia: Coopers Brewery toasts sales and market share increase in 2014

Australia’s privately-owned Coopers Brewery has defied the national downturn in beer consumption, notching up a 7.4 per cent increase in sales over the past calendar year, The Australian reported on January 14.

The South Australian brewer sold a record 77.3 million litres of beer in 2014, giving the independent a 5 per cent share of the Australian market.

Growth was driven by Coopers’ expansion outside its home state, as well as a rise in offshore sales. Indeed exports now make up a little over 10 per cent of Coopers’ total sales.

“Exports were also up 7.2 per cent as the impact of the falling Australian dollar begins to take effect,” said Coopers managing director Tim Cooper.

At the same time, Coopers notched up double digit sales growth in Western Australia, Queensland and Victoria.

South Australia remains Coopers’ largest market, with 25.8 per cent of total sales, just ahead of New South Wales with 25.7 per cent.

Coopers is planning to spend A$4.5 million this year to expand the capacity of its Adelaide brewery, including installing an additional four fermenters.

The Australian beer market has failed to generate sales growth since 2009.

The 153-year old Coopers is an unlisted public company owned by around 150 members of the Coopers family.

14 January, 2015