Coopers Brewery, a family-owned independent brewing company, has experienced a slight rise in its annual beer sales, outperforming the overall market that has seen a downturn.
In the 2024-25 fiscal year, Coopers Brewery reported total beer sales of 80.6 million litres, marking a growth of 2.4% compared to the preceding year. This contrasts the 0.9% contraction witnessed within the national beer market during the same period.
Sales of kegs, which account for approximately 12.4% of Coopers’ total beer sales, saw a substantial increase of 5.9%. Additionally, the sales of packaged beers also saw a modest uptick of 1.8%.
Sales of malted barley and wheat saw an increase of 3.4%. However, there was a 17% drop in DIY brewing product volumes, a result of reduced consumer demand and restricted space on supermarket shelves.
Michael Shearer, the Managing Director of the brewery, noted that the figures indicate a resilient performance throughout their beer portfolio. He highlighted considerable consumer demand for Dry 3.5 and Australian Lager, both relative newcomers to their range. Traditional ale products also continued their growth trajectory at 1.2%, while Stout saw a resurgence with a 3.3% rise compared to the previous year.
Shearer admitted that cost-of-living pressures have made consumers more selective in their purchasing decisions. However, he was optimistic about achieving another year of solid sales growth in a challenging market, expressing it as a testament to the team and their craft.
Over the course of the year, the company saw sales growth across all states and territories. SA emerged as the largest market in terms of sales volume, while Queensland experienced the most substantial growth at 4.8%.
International beer exports, excluding New Zealand, which make up around 1% of total sales, fell by 22.3%. Conversely, sales to New Zealand grew by 2.6%.
In terms of profitability, Coopers Brewery witnessed a decrease in pre-tax profits, which fell from $32.8 million in the previous year to $22.5 million. This shift reflects the investment in a new $70 million visitor center and its associated costs.
The company described the visitor centre as a generational investment and an integral part of its long-term strategy. In addition to housing a restaurant, the facility also includes a microbrewery and a whisky distillery. Since its inauguration in August of the previous year, the centre has welcomed approximately 60,000 visitors.
What contributed to the decrease in Coopers Brewery’s pre-tax profits?
The pre-tax profit decrease reflected the brewery’s investment in a new $70 million visitor centre and its associated costs.
What sales growth was seen across different product ranges at Coopers Brewery?
Keg sales rose by 5.9% and packaged beer sales increased by 1.8%. Malted barley and wheat sales grew by 3.4%, but DIY brewing product volumes fell by 17%.
Which areas experienced the most growth in terms of beer sales for Coopers Brewery?
In terms of sales volume, SA was the largest market. However, Queensland recorded the highest growth rate at 4.8%.
