By Andy Young
Coopers brewery enjoyed a record calendar year in 2015, boosted by a strong sales of Coopers Original Pale Ale and Mild Ale and impressive growth in the eastern states.
For the 12 months ended December 31, 2015, Coopers sold a record 80.7 million litres, a 4.4 per cent increase on the 77.3 million litres sold in calendar year 2014.
Managing director, Dr Tim Cooper, said the 2015 results had been especially pleasing, given that overall beer consumption in Australia was falling.
“While Australia’s total beer consumption has fallen almost 10 per cent in the past six years, despite a growing population, Coopers’ sales have been on a solid growth trajectory for the past 22 years,” he said.
“The latest results mean Coopers now has five per cent of the total Australian market.
“The eastern states continue to be Coopers’ major area of growth, with total sales in Victoria, NSW and Queensland growing by 7.4 per cent during 2015. Western Australian sales grew 5.5 per cent.
“In our home state South Australia, which is a far more mature market, sales remained steady and now represent more than 24 per cent of total volume sold.”
Coopers Original Pale Ale continued its impressive growth with national sales rising by 3.2 per cent over the course of 2015; the beer now accounts for 52 per cent of Coopers’ total beer sales.
Sales of the Mild Ale 3.5% showed the continuing consumer desire for mid-strength beers, with sales increasing by 13.7 per cent in 2015. By volume, Mild Ale is now the third most popular beer brewed by Coopers just behind Sparkling Ale, which experience 1.8 per cent growth in the 2015 calender year.
Dr Cooper also highlighted the strong performance of the brewer’s international beer portfolio, with Sapporo, Carlsberg and Kronenbourg performing well ahead of promising signs for Brooklyn Beer.
“Sales of Sapporo were particularly strong during the year, growing by 50 per cent,” Dr Cooper said.
“This result has been achieved by growing distribution of Sapporo through different channels, aided by the appointment of a beer ambassador who has been working strongly in the Asian restaurant trade.
“Carlsberg and Kronenbourg products also performed strongly, rising 7 per cent during the year.”
Dr Cooper added that the agreement with US craft brewer Brooklyn Brewing, which came into effect late in 2015, had only had a minor impact on results, although early sales had been strong.