The mainstream media is alive with speculation of a suite of new products from Foster’s, including three new beers and a new beer label.
It seems that Foster’s will tomorrow unveil their new Queensland-based beer brand, Great Northern Brewing Co. The brand is to operate out of the giant Yatala plant, south of Brisbane. The new brand will initially unveil a clear bottled, dry style, low-carb lager weighing in at 4% abv to go head-to-head with XXXX newcomer Summer Bright Lager. The trademark for the new brand was lodged by Queensland Breweries Pty Limited on 22 September 2010.
In a touch of irony, Great Northern Brewing Company is the name of one of the original New Zealand breweries that merged to form Lion Breweries in 1914. Lion Breweries is today part of the Lion Nathan National Foods company that owns the XXXX brands.
It remains to be seen whether the Great Northern Brewing Company of Whitefish, Montana will oppose the registration of the trademark.
Foster’s move would seem to be an attempt to create a stronger Queensland presence in response to the ongoing pressure its brands are under. The Sydney Morning Herald reporting yesterday that August beer volumes fell 7.6 per cent, marking the eighth-consecutive monthly decline. Foster’s flagship beer, VB, fell by 15.4 per cent in volume, while its Pure Blonde brand fell by almost 20 per cent.
It is also ironic that Australia’s largest brewer has had to create a new brand to try to gain better penetration into the Queensland market. The new beer is being brewed at Foster’s Yatala brewery, formerly known as the Powers Brewery.
Built in the late 1980s it was this site that launched Bernie Power’s eponymous beer, a brand that quickly established a market share of more than 10 per cent, breaking Castlemaine XXXX’s stranglehold over the state. It was the most successful beer launch in a century.
Fosters bought the successful brewery from Powers in 1992 after several years in intense competition and effectively killed the successful brand to concentrate on building its own brands in the state. The new Great Northern Brewing Co. beer has involvement from some of the remaining Powers brewers who are again trying to storm the XXXX citadel.
The launch of the Great Northern Brand follows recent speculation that Fosters had even considered returning to the Bulimba Brewing label, famous for the Bulimba Gold Top, dropped in the 1970s. The historic brand had been brewed at CUB’s Valley brewery, which itself was closed in 1993 following the takeover of Power’s Yatala site.
In addition to the new Queensland-based beer and brand, Fosters will launch brand extensions to the Pure Blonde and Carlton Dry Fusion ranges.
Pure Blonde White will be a lower carbohydrate, white lager brewed with wheat malt. The beer will weigh in at 4.6% abv and be priced at $15.99 a six-pack or $49.99 a carton. The new variation will try and arrest the decline faced by Australia’s biggest selling low-carb brand over recent months.
Lion Nathan National Foods is also rumoured to be launching a wheat based beer under its Hahn Super Dry brand.
The most curious of Foster’s new beers is Carlton Dry Fusion Black. Reports describe it as a beer infused with ‘citrus, spices and lemon juice’ but Brews News has previously been advised that this new Carlton Dry Fusion line will be a cola-infused brew, which would seem to match the ‘Black’ moniker. If the beer is cola based, it would appear to be aimed at the 18-25 year old market that has moved away from traditional beer styles and flavours. It would aim to compete against spirit-based RTDs.
Fosters plans are expected to be announced by CUB managing director John Pollaers at a briefing tomorrow as part of the company’s investment day.
Update: the following media release was sent out the day following the publication of this story.
Media Release
CUB to bring new Queensland beer to Queensland beer lovers
Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) has answered the call as to what Queensland beer lovers want by announcing it will launch a new Queensland beer that will roll into stores from 1 November.
The first batch of the Great Northern Brewing Co. is scheduled to roll off the production line at Yatala Brewery on Monday 25 October and has already tipped CUB’s original estimate for pre-sales.
CUB Queensland General Manager and a creator of Great Northern Brewing Co. Cameron Levick said the new beer was a Queensland idea, formulated locally and specifically for Queenslanders.
“Great Northern Brewing Co. was created six months ago by three passionate Queensland brewery workers thinking of ways to offer something new to drinkers in Queensland,” Mr Levick said.
“I was sitting in a local coffee shop with Yatala Operations Manager Tom Robinson and Head Brewer Geoff Day and we came up with a fresh concept to cater to the Queensland palate.
“CUB has brought together local brewers, industry experts and beer drinkers to help create the quintessential Queensland brew, one that captures the Queensland adventure of sun, sand and fishing.
“Great Northern Brewing Co. is brewed locally at Yatala, Australia’s biggest brewery and uses local ingredients. We have also put together a dedicated team of specialists charged with running the Queensland based production.
“With summer just around the corner, Queensland drinkers will want a bottle of super crisp, refreshing and easy drinking lager in their hands and the Great Northern Brewing Co. delivers just that.”
Mr Levick said the launch of the Great Northern Brewing Co. showed CUB’s dedication to get on the front foot and deliver great tasting local beer to the Queensland market.
“Today’s Queensland beer drinkers are far more adventurous than ever. They want to experience different tastes and new styles and are particularly drawn to brands that remind them of home,” he said.
“We anticipate Queensland beer lovers will be eager to have a carton of this great tasting, new crisp super fresh lager in their fridge or try it at their local pubs.”
CUB General Manager Northern Operations and co-creator of Great Northern Brewing Co. Tom Robinson moved to Queensland six months ago from the UK to assume his current role at the Yatala Brewery. A brewing expert with decades of international experience, he said Great Northern Brewing Co. was proof there was room for creativity in the Australian beer market.
“It’s exciting to be able to design and produce a lager in Queensland for Queensland. This is unheard of among breweries in the UK. They never produce something specifically for, say the people of south-west England,” Mr Robinson said.
Great Northern Brewing Co. was named in tribute to CUB’s first ever Queensland based brewing operation, the Great Northern Brewery in Cairns acquired in 1931. Back then, beer was made locally for locals. The brewery has since gone, but the concept of drinking local made beer lives on in Great Northern Brewing Co.
Great Northern Brewing Co. is brewed longer for a super crisp and refreshing full strength lager.
Great Northern Brewing Co. will hit Queensland shelves from November. The recommended retail price is $37.99 a carton (on promotion). Each 330ml stubby contains 1.1 standard drinks and 4.2% ABV.
