By James Atkinson
Carlsberg has the potential to become one of Australia's top selling international beer brands, according to the brand's new licensed distributor, Premium Beverages.
Mark Goulmy, general manager of sales and marketing at the Coopers-owned company, said Carlsberg is a truly big global brand that has not yet reached its potential in Australia.
He said Premium Beverages has the track record to propel Carlsberg to become one of the country's top five import brands "within the near future".
"I think at the moment, Carlsberg is probably sitting with an older demographic, so there's a little bit of work to be done to make the brand a bit younger, a bit more involved and interactive with younger people," he said.
Goulmy is also excited about the potential for the Kronenbourg 1664 brand, which was included in the deal with the Danish brewer.
"It's an absolute winner that brand. When you look at Kronenbourg it is an older demographic, a more discerning drinker, someone who's quite a professional with high disposable income, so I expect it'll stay within that demographic, we just need to expand on it," he said.
Goulmy said Premium Beverages will initially be focusing its energies on ensuring it has effective distribution of the new brands in the relevant channels, and also making sure it has the right pricing in place.
"Once we've done those basic elements of distribution, right pricing, getting some engagement and trial, particularly with the retailers as well, then we can transition to looking at greater exposure for the brands," he said.
Goulmy said Premium Beverages will be looking to leverage Carlsberg's high exposure sponsorships of English Premier League teams Liverpool and Arsenal with Australian drinkers.
"I think the international brands are going to continue to grow quite strongly in this country," he said.
"International brands represent about 14 per cent of total retail volume at the moment, and that continues to grow quite well – I don't see that trend abating any time soon.
"I think the traditional domestic brands we've had in this country are going to come under a lot more pressure," Goulmy said.
Coopers is already brewing Carlsberg in Adelaide, but Kronenbourg will be imported from France for at least the next 12 months, after which Premium Beverages will make a call on whether to transition it to local brewing.
"The brewmasters at Coopers and Carlsberg work very closely together," Goulmy said.
"Carlsberg are very specific about what the brand tastes like, so there are very strict parameters on the flavour. To be able to qualify to be able to brew Carlsberg you have to jump a number of hurdles, and then you have to be able to be very, very consistent in the product that you deliver."