Maurice Breen
Maurice Breen, marketing director, Magners
Corporate goal for the year?
As the leading player in the on-trade packaged long alcoholic drink market, Magners' key objective is to continue driving category growth and recruiting new consumers to our brand. We aim to add significant value into the category, benefiting licensees from improved margins and profit.
Any opportunity to grow your business?
Definitely. There is still plenty of opportunity to increase distribution and reach new consumers all over the UK. We are at the early stages of rebuilding the cider market. Also we see plenty of opportunity for our new variant, Magners Light, as it will bring in a whole new set of consumers in 2008.
If there is a downturn in the economy, how bad is it going to get?
There is no doubt that the squeeze on the world economy and it's trickle-down effects are impacting on consumer confidence and discretionary spending.
It could get pretty ugly in the early part of 2008, but consumers will always seek out pubs and bars offering a great atmosphere and leisure experience, no matter how the economy is performing.
Where's the light at the end of the tunnel?
In the longer term the trade will also benefit from recent initiatives - in particular the smoking ban - that will eventually increase pub-going.
Anything that improves the customer experience will help the industry to weather uneven trading circumstances, but, even better, a great summer will benefit all of us - the trade and consumer alike.
If political pressure increases, what's our best form of defence?
Magners has developed a responsible-marketing approach, focusing on a message of quality rather than quantity.
There is a trend to premiumisation in the drinks industry and we believe that as drinkers become increasingly receptive to the idea of quality over quantity, coupled with serious and concerted industry action on consumer education and communication programmes, then the political climate will cool.
Biggest challenge your business faces?
The premium-cider sector has seen some dramatic growth in recent months so our biggest challenge will be to sustain our growth levels while clearly establishing premium cider as a long-term, mainstream category.
Personal goal for the year?
Build the house that has been in the planning stage for two years.
Favourite quotation or business adage?
It's all about the people.
