Australia: Coopers Brewery sells 2.4% more beer by volume in FY 2025

Coopers Brewery has bucked national market trends in the recently completed financial year 2025, selling 2.4 per cent more beer by volume while the category contracted by 0.9 per cent. This is off the back of already strong 1.5 per cent growth in the prior fiscal year, the Drinks Trade reported on October 31.

Largely driven by Dry 3.5 and Australian Lager, and spread across a 5.9 per cent increase in keg sales and a 1.8 per cent in packaged beer sales, Australia’s Most Reputable Craft Beer producer sold almost two million litres extra, bringing the annual total to 80.6 million litres.

This includes growth across all states and territories, with its home state South Australia, up 2.3 per cent, remaining the largest market in terms of sales volume while Queensland recorded the strongest growth, up 4.8 per cent year on year.

Following this, Victoria/Tasmania grew 3.3 per cent, Northern Territory 2 per cent, New South Wales 1.9 per cent, and Western Australia 0.8 per cent.

Coopers Brewery Managing Director Michael Shearer said the result shines a light on a solid performance across the breadth of Coopers’ portfolio.

“Demand was particularly strong for Dry 3.5 and Australian Lager, both relative newcomers to our portfolio. Our traditional ale products also continued to grow, at 1.2 per cent, and Stout had a resurgence with a 3.3 per cent increase over the prior year.

“Importantly, our overall sales momentum has continued into the first months of the new financial year," he added.

Shearer, who took over from Dr Tim Cooper as Coopers Brewery's Managing Director in March, also believes the independent beer producer was able to appeal to consumers becoming more discerning due to cost-of-living pressures.

“They want value for money with their beer; that’s about quality, reliability and above all taste,” he said.

“To achieve another year of solid sales growth in a tough market is a real vote of confidence in our craft and our team. Beer drinkers have greater choice than ever before, so for more to choose a Coopers has been particularly pleasing.”

Other notable results from the end-of-financial-year results include a 22.3 per cent decline in exports, excluding New Zealand, which grew 2.6 per cent. Sales of malted barley and wheat rose 3.4 per cent despite the challenges experienced by brewers in international markets, while DIY brewing product volumes were down 17 per cent reflecting lower consumer demand and tighter supermarket shelf space.

Speaking with Drinks Trade in July, Michael Shearer said: “I don’t see the market dynamics changing anytime soon given the broader economic outlook. In terms of trends, we have seen a strong consumer push towards mid, low and zero alcohol beer. I expect this will continue driven by younger, health and wellbeing conscious consumers. That said, Coopers best selling beer is still our Original Pale Ale and we have seen strong sales in our higher ABV products like Stout and the all-time favourite – Sparkling Ale.”

In addition to its Australian Drinks Awards recognition, Coopers Brewery was also recognised as a top-four growth brand for off-premise beer in Drinks Trade's Hottest Brands Report 2025. Sapporo, a brand it brews under license in Australia, came in at number two.

Also notable for the brewery in 2025 is its new A$70 million visitor centre, restaurant, microbrewery and whisky distillery that opened on 28 August and has since attracted approximately 60,000 patrons, with around 32,000 dining in the restaurant, 10,500 taking tours, and 100 businesses and organisations holding corporate lunches and functions.

The attached whisky facility, which is fitted with custom-made copper whisky stills and underground stillage with capacity for 5,000 barrels, already has more than 200 full barrels of single malt whisky maturing.

“The new visitor centre, microbrewery and distillery is a generational investment by Coopers in our long-term future as well as a diversification strategy to open new markets for our product,” Michael Shearer said.

As a result of this investment and its associated interest and depreciation costs, profit-before-tax was A$22.5 million, compared with A$32.8 million the previous year. Due to this, fully franked dividends of A$11.25 per share were paid in the financial year, down from A$12 paid the year prior.