USA & Australia: Coopers beers are now available in all 50 states of America

Coopers beers of Australia are now available in all 50 states of America as the result of a distribution agreement with USA restaurant franchise, the Outback Steakhouse Company, according to Coopers’ press release of February 7.

And in another distribution deal, Coopers has sent a trial shipment of keg beer to support a new Australian-themed restaurant in California, the Bondi Bar and Kitchen.

Bottles of Coopers Sparkling Ale and Lager are now being sold in all 775 Outback Steakhouse franchises in the USA, opening the way for the beers to be sold in other outlets in each state.

Coopers Chairman and Marketing Director, Mr Glenn Cooper, said work to roll-out beer supplies to the Outback Steakhouse franchises in the USA had commenced in September last year and had now been completed.
“Coopers is now the first real Australian-made beer to be sold in all states of America,” he said.

While Coopers has been exporting to the US for a number of years, differing licensing and distribution requirements in each state have meant that exports were restricted to the larger population centers.
However, as part of the Outback Steakhouse contract, Coopers worked with distributors in each state to meet the differing requirements and open up sales to the entire country.

“We have reached the stage that these difficulties have been overcome and everyone in the USA now has the opportunity to taste real Australian-made beer,” he said. “As well as supplying the Outback Steakhouses, our distributors will be able to open up new sales outlets in each State. “We are confident of strong growth into the future.”

Mr. Cooper said the owners of the Outback Steakhouse Company had also indicated that opportunities may open up to sell Coopers in Mexico, Canada and Puerto Rico, where other restaurants are located.
The Outback Steakhouse concept is to provide high quality food and service in a casual atmosphere “suggestive of the Australian outback.”

Mr. Cooper said the Bondi Bar and Kitchen, in the Gas Lamp district of San Diego, the city’s major restaurant precinct, had featured in the recent G’Day LA promotion, which showcased Australia to audiences in Los Angeles and New York.

It offers six Australian beers on tap, including Coopers Pale Ale and Coopers Sparkling Ale. Mr. Cooper said that 50-litre metal kegs were not normally exported because of the cost and difficulty in getting empty kegs returned.
“This is the first time that we have sent kegs overseas, but we have special arrangements in place through our distributor to ensure they are returned,” he said.

“We are currently examining how we can get around this difficulty to open the export bulk beer market up and get Coopers into even more pubs and bars overseas.” Exports make up about 3% of Coopers total sales.

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