The collection of beers and ciders were launched under the Brew + Press brand yesterday (14 September), in a bid by Molson Coors to showcase the strength of its premium range.
However, in an exclusive interview with The Morning Advertiser (MA), Molson Coors marketing director Martin Coyle revealed the collection was already set to expand through acquisitions and new product development.
He told MA: “We have been building a portfolio ready to take on the opportunity of growth in this category.
“If we had done it (launched Brew + Press) two years ago, we wouldn’t have had the depth of brands to do what we wanted to.”
Craft portfolio expansion
He added: “It’s certainly in the pipeline to get more craft and premium brands and there are live conversations going on at the moment. We’re looking at further opportunities to expand our craft portfolio through partnerships and investment.”
Discussions to acquire or work with brands were currently ongoing, but Coyle refused to give details.
Brands of interest to the giant would have to fit with the rest of its portfolio and be businesses built up by entrepreneurs that needed financial help to get to the next stage, he added.
“We will always look for brands with a really interesting back story that we think we could bring into our own portfolio,” continued Coyle.
Companies that made really good, balanced beers were of obvious interest to the team. Yet, there is a breadth of beers out there that wouldn’t necessarily fit with the Brew + Press proposition, he explained.
He said: “We’re operating at the middle of the spectrum [in terms of craft and mainstream] and looking for balanced beers in line with what we already have on offer.”
Brew + Press initiative
Meanwhile, the Brew + Press initiative, explained Coyle, was launched in response to the rise in the consumers’ need for premium beers and ciders, as well as a demand for food and beverage pairing.
Coyle revealed: “How it benefits our customers is by helping to educate them around beer, because if people have a better understanding it helps our customers.”
Part of boosting beer and cider knowledge would see Brew + Press staff go into pubs and bars to carry out interactive sessions with customers, but also bar staff, to boost their understanding of the category.
Coyle added: “We found that 40% of bar staff don’t drink beer and they are generating sales for the pub, but aren’t as active as they could be.”
Getting staff more involved with the drinks they were serving would inevitably have a positive effect on the business.