Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) has announced its return to the Australian beer and cider market, with the launch of international and local premium beers and cider — almost all of them new to the Australian market.

The portfolio, which became available on tap and on sale in December 2013, includes Molson Coors’ leading beers Coors, and Blue Moon, the biggest craft beer in the US.

“This is a market that we’ve always thought was a great fit for our beers,” said Brett Vye, Chief Commercial Officer, Global License Molson Coors. “Australia is one of the world’s most profitable beer markets, and we have found the right partner in CCA. Our initial focus will be on Coors and Blue Moon Belgian White, but there are many supplementary brands that could be introduced in time,” he said.

Molson Coors said the Coors brand, know in the US and global markets as Coors Light, was “one of the fastest growing beers around the world and among the 10 largest brands by volume”.

“You’ll notice Coors has ‘Cold Activated’ labels that tell consumers when their beer is cold and ready to be enjoyed at peak refreshment,” said David Coors, Molson Coors General Manager of Australasia. “It is an innovation that has driven growth for the brand around the world,” he said.

Full portfolio also includes ciders and Australian-brewed beer

CCA has also launched a new draught beer brand Alehouse, in both full and mid strength. This brand will be available exclusively to on-premise customers. These brands are joined by ARVO Premium Lager and Pressman’s Original Australian Cider, and are manufactured in the Australian Beer Company brewery at Griffith in New South Wales in partnership with winemakers Casella Wines.

This portfolio will be joined in early 2014 by the international brand Rekorderlig Cider from Sweden, the Samuel Adams range of beers made by number one US craft brewer The Boston Beer Company, and CCA’s Fiji portfolio of Fiji Bitter and Vonu Beer.

The premium beer and cider portfolio joins CCA’s well-established range of premium Beam Global Spirits, including the Jim Beam and Cola brand, which CCA has been manufacturing and distributing since 2007, as well as the new Cascade range of adult sparkling non-alcoholic beverages designed for the on-premise market.

“I am delighted with the progress our team has made executing agreements with some of the world’s best-performing beer and cider brands, and in developing our own all-Australian brands as well,” said Terry Davis, CCA’s Group Managing Director. “Australia is one of only six markets in the world with a billion-dollar profit pool for beers, so the earnings growth for CCA for a successful execution of our new portfolio is substantial,” he said.

“All-Australian” brands developed

As well as bringing to Australia global brands, CCA has also launched “all-Australian” exclusive on-premise draught Alehouse beers — Original Pale Draught and Summer Gold — brewed by the Australian Beer Company. The Australian Beer Company has combined expertise of 66 years in brewing, and is led by Brew Master Andy Mitchell, who has worked in craft beer in large and small breweries in South Africa.

“Our customers have been waiting for us to get back into beer and cider, and I know how much excitement there is in the trade with the arrival of the Molson Coors range, particularly Blue Moon, which has taken the US by storm, becoming the number one selling craft beer in the last 12 months,” said John Murphy, CCA Australia’s Managing Director Beverages.

“I am also confident that our customers will welcome the chance to try our bespoke Alehouse range, brewed in our Australian Beer Company brewery under the leadership of Master Brewer Andy Mitchell,” Mr Murphy said.

“The Australian Beer Company marks and exciting new chapter for Casella and our expansion into beer and cider,” said John Casella, Managing Director of Casella Wines. “We are very excited about the portfolio of products we are launching under the Australian Beer Company,” he said.

“We look forward to building and producing new brands with CCA, and expanding our operations further through the formation of our partnership,” Mr Casella said.

Brands launched in December 2013 and currently in the market are Coors, Blue Moon, Alehouse Original Pale Draught, Alehouse Summer Gold, ARVO Lager, Pressman’s Original Australian Cider.

These brands will be joined by Rekorderlig Cider, Fiji Bitter, Vonu and the Samuel Adams range of beers made by The Boston Beer Company in early 2014.

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