Lion and CUB have each announced that they are donating resealable bottles to pubs across the country to assist pubs in selling draught beer in a takeaway format.
Each company has started giving venues across the country growlers and resealable caps free of charge, to help them increase their trading options.
Lion has committed to deliver as many amber 1.25 litre bottles and caps, as well as dispensers to be affixed to the tap to fill the bottles as required to help pubs sell through their draught beer right across Australia. 10,000 growlers and caps, and 500 dispensers are already on their way to hundreds of pubs across New South Wales, without charge.
AHA NSW CEO John Whelan said the move would help keep many NSW pubs in business and their staff in jobs during the most difficult time in their history.
“Hotels are the hearts of their communities – especially in regional and suburban areas – and the truth is many are struggling to survive with take-away sales the only form of income.
“This move by Lion will particularly help out many of the small local pubs at a time when they need it most. I thank James Brindley and his team at Lion for this great initiative. Not only does it provide an immediate boost to venues, it prevents millions of litres of draught beer literally going down the drain.”
Similarly, CUB has committed to donating 20,000 resealable bottles to over 100 pubs in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.
“Pubs are at the heart of many local communities and CUB has relationships with some stretching back more than 150 years. We’re doing everything we can to ensure we’re still partnering with them in another 150 years,” said CUB CEO Peter Filipovic.
Both breweries have been assisting their on-premise partners since the venue shutdown was announced, with Lion offering credit for unused kegs. It has now credited more than 4,000 customers nationally a total of $23.5 million for over 85,000 unused and capped kegs.
Meanwhile, CUB recently announced the ‘For the Love of your Local’ campaign in partnership with the AHA, to help generate immediate cash flow for venues.
For more information on the various ways venue operators can seek support for their businesses throughout the COVID-19 shutdown, visit the Stronger Together resource hub.