By Andrew Starke
Coopers Brewery is planning to double its beer exports to the United States over the next 18 months.
The company now has two people working in the US to promote the brand after reaching agreement with American importer, Preiss Imports.
Cooper’s marketing director and chairman, Glenn Cooper, said that Cooper’s export manager, Terry Miniken, had joined Preiss as its regional manager for the east coast of the US, with responsibility for the Coopers brand.
He will also coordinate other Coopers export activities.
Another expatriate Australian, Michael Cameron, had also been employed by Preiss as its national beer manager for the west coast.
“The arrangements mean that Coopers effectively has two people on the ground working to develop the Coopers brand in the US, in conjunction with Preiss,” Cooper said. “We see this as a great opportunity for us and one that will enable Coopers to make strong inroads into the craft beer market, the fastest growing sector of the alcohol market in America.”
Cooper said beer exports globally currently made up about three percent of total sales for Coopers, but anticipated this figure could rise to eight percent within five years.
“In the next 12 months, we are looking to increase sales in the US by another 140,000 cases a year,” he said. “A number of new shipping and warehousing arrangements have also been put in place in the US which will help remove some of the internal transport costs and stabilise price differences between the east and west coasts.”
Miniken, who has worked in the US for Coopers for the past 12 months, said there was a lot of interest in Coopers Pale Ale, Coopers Sparkling Ale, Coopers Stout and Coopers Vintage Ale across America.
Coopers is available in major cities across the US including New York, where it is sold in such outlets as the Australian Bar, Eight Mile Creek, Bondi Road, Sun Burned Cow, Sheep Station, Wombat, and Gingerman.
It is also sold in Outback Steakhouses across America.