Editor’s Notes:

Coopers has just released their results for the 2014 calendar year. As an interesting historical comparison, Australian Brews News launched back in January 2010 and I am pretty sure that Coopers’ 2009 results (followed soon after by the announcement of the release of Coopers Clear) was one of the first stories published.

In January 2010, Coopers announced a then-record total of 58.781 million litres of beer was sold during calendar year 2009, an increase of 4.9% over the 2008 figure of 56.024 million litres. For 2014 Coopers has announced a record 77.3 million litres, an increase of 7.4 per cent over 2013. Interestingly, in 2010 Coopers Original Pale Ale made up approximately 65 per cent of total sales, last year it was 52.6 per cent which would represent a broadening of its base, including the growth of Clear, which since 2010 has grown to almost five per cent of volume. It also includes the company’sexpanding international portfolio which includes Carlsberg, Sapporo and Kronenbourg, which together make up almost ten per cent of the total.[MK]

Media Release

Strong Growth Continues for Coopers

Coopers Brewery has entered 2015 on a high, boosted by record beer sales during the 2014 calendar year

In the 12 months ended December 31, 2014, Coopers sold a record 77.3 million litres of beer, some 7.4% higher than in 2013 when beer sales totalled 72 million litres.

The result means Coopers now holds about 5% of the total Australian beer market, the company’s strongest position in its 153 year history.

Coopers’ Managing Director, Dr Tim Cooper, said the 2014 result had been driven by rising interstate sales and the contribution of Coopers’ international beer portfolio. This represents 10.6% of the total volume.

“Queensland recorded the highest growth for the year with sales up 14.5%, ahead of Western Australia (12.6%), Victoria (12.3%) and New South Wales (6.6%),” he said.

“Exports were also up 7.2% as the impact of the falling Australian dollar begins to take effect.

“Sales in our home state of South Australia were steady.”

Dr Cooper said that to maintain the sales momentum, Coopers and its distribution company Premium Beverages had recently employed another eight sales people around Australia.

South Australia remained Coopers’ largest market, with 25.8% of total sales, just ahead of New South Wales with 25.7%.

Dr Cooper said Coopers Original Pale Ale remained the brewery’s flagship product and made up about 52.6% of Coopers’ beer sales.

This was followed by Coopers Sparkling Ale (11.9%), Mild Ale (7.3%) and Coopers Clear (4.8%) Coopers’ non alcoholic beers, Holsten and Birell, which have also enjoyed rapid growth, and Thatchers cider sales are not included in the results.

Dr Cooper said Coopers was currently in the process of installing an additional four fermenters, taking the total number at the brewery to 28.

With the installation of these fermenters, Coopers is spending more than $4.5 million early this year, along with required changes to internal roads within the brewery to streamline truck movements around the brewery and to cope with ongoing growth.

For the six months to December 31, 2014, Coopers’ sales grew 5.1% over the previous corresponding period.

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