By James Atkinson
Coopers Brewery has been named the world’s top family business of 2011, and the company says it has continued to make strong inroads into the Australian beer market this year.
Coopers nudged out international heavyweight businesses including Ford Motor, Estee Lauder, Lego Group and Puig to win the Top Family Business of the Year award poll by London-based international family business magazine CampdenFB.
The award came as the company announced its production during 2010-11 reached a record 62.9 million litres, slightly ahead of the 62 million litres produced during 2009-10.
Overall, Coopers says it now has 4 per cent of all beer sales in Australia.
Managing director, Dr Tim Cooper, said Coopers’ growth came despite overall beer consumption in Australia falling by an estimated 6 per cent during the year and in the face of heavy discounting of rivals’ products.
“Coopers has now enjoyed 10 per cent compound annual growth in beer volumes for the past 15 years,” he said.
“Sales during 2010-11 were boosted by the continued strength of our traditional ales. Coopers Original Pale Ale (pictured) now represents 62 per cent and Sparkling Ale 14 per cent of annual sales volumes respectively."
Cooper said that despite higher production levels, overall turnover in 2010-11 fell slightly to $173 million compared with the record $179 million in 2009-10, while after tax profit reached $23 million, compared to $23.5 million in 2009-10.