By Deborah Jackson, Editor National Liquor News and Beer & Brewer
Kollaras Trading Company has developed a new range of beers specifically for the independents aimed to offer great margin and a competitive advantage.
The Indie range consists of Indie Gold, a 3.3 per cent ABV lager and Indie Draught a 4.0 per cent ABV lager. It will be available to the independents in 30-packs in time for the Christmas selling period.
The beers offer a profit margin of between 16 and 17 per cent to independent retailers, with Indie Gold expected to retail at around $35.99, and Indie Draught expected to retail at $39.99 per 30-pack (in non-CDS states). States that are under the CDS will be able to retail Indie Gold for $40.99 and Indie Draught for $45.99 and still make the same margins.
Kollaras Group Director, Michael Kollaras told TheShout that, “It is no secret that we as a business are passionate about ensuring a level playing field for all”.
“We clearly see our role in the market as being a product solutions provider, to fill gaps for independents and ensure they have their very own competitive offering.”
Kollaras told TheShout that there has been an obvious gap in the market for beer in 30-packs for some time.
“Outside of simply filling gaps, the Kollaras business has been very clear in the importance of delivering not just more brands, but more importantly, brands the independents can call their own. Hence the ‘Indie’ name,” said Kollaras.
“As with all our brands, Indie needed to not only be exclusive to our independents and deliver the right quality and price point for consumers – but more importantly it needed to also deliver our retailers above industry standard margins, to ensure we are helping them bank more profit dollars, which we are also adamant our brands should be doing for them.”
So how can Indie give independent retailers a competitive advantage?
“Although we would love to say that singularly Indie will do this – realistically, there is no one brand solution or action that does this. Instead there is a combination of many, that independents need to embrace,” said Kollaras.
“These include ensuring independents have a significant point of difference in brands that are not available in majors (as the majors have done themselves), and then obviously the offers and service that accompany these in-store.
“Exclusive and private labels such as that of Indie are only one piece of this complex pie, albeit a significant piece. With that said, we believe if Indie is supported and done right in-store this brand sincerely has significant ability to alter consumers’ shopping habits. It will deliver repeat business on a brand that is not accessible anywhere else but within independents.”
So why should the independents range Indie?
“As independents ourselves we have been passionate about bringing the right brands – products and producers together with our independent retailers to service consumers’ ever growing and changing demands,” said Kollaras.
“We understand the importance of doing this right, while ensuring our independents have a point of difference that motivates shoppers to come to their stores and spend with them – not just once but continuously.
“Indie, we believe, is a brand that is certainly an important piece – in our company’s desire in helping deliver success and prosperity to our independent retailers, who are, and remain such an important piece of our industry – and whose own success we depend on.”