E-Malt.com News article: Australia: Coopers Brewery had highest selling month on record in December 2013

For the first time in the company’s history, Coopers Brewery passed 70 million litres in beer sales last year, FOOD Magazine – Australia reported on January 22.

Total sales for the year reached 72 million litres, up 4.7 percent on the 68.8 million litres sold in 2012.

“December 2013 was our highest selling month on record, with 8.55 million litres of beer sold. This was 13 percent more than the previous record month in December 2012,” said managing director, Tim Cooper.

December also saw record sales of Coopers Original Pale Ale and Coopers Sparking Ale, at almost 400,000 and 100,000 cases sold, respectively.

“A significant portion of our growth for 2013 can be attributed to our international beer portfolio, as well as good growth from the mid-strength Coopers Mild Ale. Strong sales in Pale Ale and Sparkling Ale also drove the volume increase,” Cooper said.

He said the ongoing growth of the company at a time when total beer consumption in Australia was falling was pleasing.

“Coopers has enjoyed average growth of more than 9.8 percent per year for the past 20 years and now represents more than 4.5 percent of the total Australian beer market.

“The second bottling line, opened in December, will provide greater flexibility and efficiencies, and set ourselves for further growth.”

For the six months to December 31 2013, Coopers’ sales grew by 6.3 percent over the previous corresponding period. International brands increased in volume by 157 percent, and Mild Ale by 25 percent. The biggest increase in sales came from Victoria, up 15.4 percent, then Queensland, up 12.1 percent, and then Western Australia, up 9.4 percent, while beer exports increased 23.1 percent. South Australia remains Coopers’ largest market, representing 26.9 percent of sales, just ahead of NSW at 26 percent. Exports represent 2.4 percent of sales.

Coopers brews Carlsberg and Sapporo under contract and also distributes Mythos and Kronenbourg 1664 through its distribution company Coopers Premium Beverages.


22 January, 2014