25 November 2010

Coopers Clear has helped Coopers reverse four years of declining sales in South Australia. Coopers have recently registered a 3 per cent volume growth in the state.

Coopers' decision to launch Clear, based on a noticeable trend towards low-carb beers, has paid off.

Coopers two new products, Clear and 62 Pilsener, drove them to a record an after-tax profit of $23.5 million - up 16 per cent compared with the year before - on revenue of $179 million for 2009-10.

"The new beers, particularly Coopers Clear, helped us achieve some growth in SA for the first time in five years," managing director Tim Cooper said.

Coopers brewed 62 million litres in the year, the first time it has gone beyond the 60 million-litre level, and now estimates it has a 3.6 per cent share of the national beer market - up from 3.3 per cent in 2008-09.

While better beer sales were the primary reason for Coopers' record profit, it also recorded a 1.9 per cent increase in home-brew products and a 14.8 per cent lift in malt extract sales.