E-Malt.com News article: 2079

Scottish Courage, the UK’s largest brewer, announced on January 22 2004 record distribution service levels and customer satisfaction ratings over the crucial Christmas trading period from 23 November to 27 December 2003.

Within the on trade division, supplying pubs and bars, service levels reached record highs in December 2003. Post Christmas service reviews with large on-trade customers such as Unique, Enterprise Inns and Spirit (formerly S&N Retail) highlighted strong positive feedback on Scottish Courage’s performance over the Christmas period. This is underpinned by a customer satisfaction index that has improved from 56% to 72%.

Within the off-trade division, supplying supermarkets and retailers for take-home sales, service levels again showed a significant level of improvement, boosting sales volume growth in the period. Scottish Courage delivered 99% of orders on time and in full and received overwhelmingly positive feedback from large customers.

These improved levels of service enabled Foster’s, Kronenbourg 1664, John Smith’s Extra Smooth and Strongbow to perform very well over the period.
John Dunsmore, Chairman and Managing Director of Scottish Courage Ltd., commented: “These results demonstrate that Scottish Courage’s supply chain is back on track and performing very well during a busy peak Christmas trading period. I am particularly pleased that not only have the distribution problems we have experienced over the last 18 months been reversed, but that service levels have been improved to record highs to both on and off trade customers.
“These improvements are a testament to the hard work of everyone involved in optimising our supply chain and were achieved against a background of an increasingly competitive marketplace. The difficult period of disruption caused by the introduction of the new supply chain is over. Our focus now is to continue to reduce costs and to invest in our brands to achieve their full potential. We look forward with confidence to the year ahead, underpinned by a robust and reliable supply chain and a portfolio of fantastic brands.”

Scottish Courage is the UK operation of Scottish & Newcastle plc, one of Europe’s leading brewers with strong positions in 14 countries, including leadership in three of Europe’s top six markets, Russia, the UK and France. Scottish Courage is the leading brewer in the UK with a 27% market share. The company supplies the licensed pubs, clubs, restaurant and hotel on-trade and the take-home off-trade market. Following its acquisition by Scottish & Newcastle in 2003, the Bulmer cider business including the UK’s leading cider brand, Strongbow, has been added to Scottish Courage’s operations.

Scottish Courage markets a full portfolio of famous brand names including Foster’s, John Smith’s, Kronenbourg 1664, Strongbow, McEwan’s, Courage, Newcastle Brown Ale, Miller and Beck’s.


23 January, 2004