Since its launch in November 2021, independently owned beer brand Better Beer has maintained a rapid growth trajectory, recently hitting $100m in revenue in just 30 months of operation.
Speaking about the success of the brand, which is second to Coopers Brewery in branded beer sales volume as an independent operator, Better Beer CEO Nick Cogger says that there were a lot of doubters when the brand first launched.
“The common feedback was this would be here today, gone tomorrow, but we knew the brand was strong and almost three years in our store growth rate maintains 20-30 per cent up on PCP,” said Cogger.
The Better Beer brand was created by Cogger in partnership with Australian comedy duo Jack Steele and Matt Ford of The Inspired Unemployed, and the range now includes Zero Carb, Zero Alc, Ginger Beer, Middy and Arvo Ale.
Steele believes Better Beer’s success can be attributed to the authenticity behind the brand and the product.
“This was never a fast cash-grab for us. We wanted to create a beer we enjoyed, that we knew our mates would enjoy, and for it to be a better zero carb beer than anything else out there,” he said.
Ford shares a similar sentiment: “There is no doubt out personalities play a big part in the branding for Better Beer, but at the end of the day, the beers have to be bloody good. And they are.”
With branding playing a significant role in the success of the product, market research puts awareness of Better Beer at 10 per cent, in comparison with 50 per cent consumer awareness for major brewers.
“There is plenty of opportunity to convert drinkers as we head into summer and that’s a large segment of the market we plan on attacking,” added Cogger.