Spread the love
Post Views: 86

Big Ale WA70% of Australian beer drinkers are actively seeking out locally brewed and owned beers, new research commissioned by Coopers has shown.

The research examines the preferences of beer-drinking Aussies, showing six in ten to prefer spending on Australian made and owned beer brands when buying beer in a pub, bar, club or restaurant; whilst only one in ten say they are likely to choose internationally owned alternatives above Aussie brands on these occasions.

Coopers, the last locally owned and operated big-beer brand in the country, announced the findings to celebrate ‘Local, Everywhere’, a campaign set to mark the brand’s place as the local beer of Australia. Because although Coopers may be born in Adelaide, it’s raised by locals all over Australia, making Coopers truly Local Everywhere.

And nothing says ‘local’ in Australia like a ‘Big Thing’, which is why Coopers will be rewarding loyal fans this summer with the next big-thing in big things, over 1200 augmented reality activated 50ft ‘Big Ales’. To celebrate Coopers is also running a selection of bar shouts across the country, showing that Coopers is truly ‘local everywhere’.

The Coopers Big Ales will be popping up ‘Locally-Everywhere’, including some of Australia’s favourite monuments, Big Things, pubs and tourist hotspots. Coopers fans are encouraged to check out and experience the many ‘Big Ales’ across the Summer, including Coopers Brewery and Kangaroo Island SA; Byron Bay Lighthouse, Bondi Beach and the Big Potato NSW; Airlie Beach, the Big Red Elephant QLD; Rottnest Island, Cottesloe Beach and Kings Park WA; Victoria’s Luna Park, Albert Park Lake and Giant Koala, and Tasmania’s Mount Wellington.

Coopers’ research also found more than six in ten Aussies to describe ‘local’ beers as those owned, made and operated in Australia, with Coopers giving Aussies what they want from a home-grown tinny, stubby or on-tap. Meanwhile, 36% of those asked what constitutes a local brew were looking for ‘a family brewed and owned beer’ such as Coopers, whilst three in ten Aussie beer drinkers see local beers as those brands which support their local communities.

Whilst Coopers was born in South Australia, around 75% of the brand’s volume is now sold outside of its home state, with a mega 21 million 425ml schooners, or pints if you’re in South Australia, sold across the nation in the past year. Coopers has grown from a South Australian favourite establishing itself as the nation’s local beer, with the brand now available in over 12,000 venues in Australia and a top 10 beer brand in every state.

Coopers’ strategy of being local everywhere echoes what Aussie beer drinkers want. Australian made and owned beer brands were shown to be in demand amongst beer consumers with almost a third of those asked keen to see more Aussie products in the market. Coopers is keen to support such growth themselves through new products including this year’s market introduction of Coopers Australian Lager.

Dr Tim Cooper AM, Managing Director and fifth generation Cooper said “As a locally owned company, Coopers is proud to have evolved over 160 years to become the largest independent brewery in Australia. Being family-owned, we’re passionate about our tradition of brewing great tasting and affordable beers for our loyal drinkers across the country.”

Interestingly, a quarter of beer drinkers felt that internationally owned beer brands were taking over the Australian market, with a further one in six keen to sample more beers owned or operated in their state.

One in four Aussies were shown to be conscious drinkers, preferring to purchase beers made and owned locally due to their smaller carbon footprint (25%). Many were keen to protect independent brands, with 15% claiming they’d avoid big internationally owned beers. Similarly, 20% did claim that they would be less likely to drink an Australian beer if they were no longer independently owned and had sold to a multi-national beer business.

Aussies are also loyal to Australian made and owned beer brands, with local beer drinkers 40% more likely to repeat purchase and 41% more likely to remain loyal to their chosen brand.

Of Coopers drinkers surveyed, half of respondents ranked feeling ‘proud to purchase from an Australian made, owned and operated brand’ as a result of their beer choice, with 46% glad their drinking choices were contributing to the Australian brewing industry and economy. Nearly 60% said they felt happy that family brewed beer brands still existed in Australia, with South Australians most likely to express this at 78%.

In a timely finding for Coopers, alcohol tourism was also shown to play a large role in purchasing decisions, with one in five more likely to buy from a beer brand where they have visited the brewery. Construction is underway on Coopers’ new $50 million world-class visitor centre, microbrewery and whisky distillery at its home in Regency Park, South Australia. This development will position Coopers for the future with interstate and international visitors to the brewery also front-of-mind.
“This is a significant and very exciting undertaking for Coopers and we’re excited as to the opportunities our brand home will open up in deepening relationships with new and existing brand fans. The progress made to-date has been incredibly positive and we look forward to welcoming visitors from across Australia and overseas once it’s completed. ” Dr Cooper said.

The Coopers ‘Local Everywhere’ Big Ales will be live from Monday 20th November in over 1200 destinations across South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, Queensland, ACT and Western Australia. Locals and tourists alike can partake by using an augmented reality experience to find their town’s nearest “Big Ale”.

Additionally, locals can commemorate the experience through a limited-edition Big Ale merch range with fans across the country able to get their hands on commemorative custom location tea towels.