Coles Liquor is boosting its local ranging to help craft wine, beer and spirit producers who have been affected by the COVID-19 shutdown.
Pubs, restaurants, bars, cellar doors and cafes have closed their doors or curtailed trade, leaving huge stocks of alcoholic beverages sitting in cellars and on shelves. It has also left local craft producers with fewer avenues to sell their ranges.
Coles Liquor is offering local wine, craft beer and spirits producers who have been impacted the opportunity to supply their products to its liquor stores - Vintage Cellars, Liquorland and First Choice Liquor Market.
"The new sourcing program aims to provide much-needed support at a time when many small producers need sales as a result of recent events forcing businesses to close or limit trade," the company said.
"We are striving to play our part to assist our industry in this time of need and help wherever we can."
There are six key initiatives Coles Liquor is championing within its business to assist local producers:
- Drive sales and broaden distribution of local products currently ranged within its business.
- Work to extend its range with new local products from new local producers.
- Fast track regional clustering of its store network to further expand local ranging in key producing regions.
- Generate support for local products from its customer base through effective customer communication.
- Mobilise teams within its organisation to focus on further supporting local producers.
- Establishing simpler and faster commercial terms for smaller producers.
Hop Nation welcomes Coles initiative
Among the producers to benefit in Victoria is Hop Nation, which has banded with a dozen independent breweries in Melbourne to assemble a mixed case of “Communitinnies” craft beers, distributing 50 pallets to 220 Coles Liquor stores in the state.
Coles is taking their mixed case nationally to more than 900 Coles Liquor stores. The 12-pack Victorian mixed case is now available at Vintage Cellars, Liquorland and First Choice Liquor Market.
Hop Nation’s co-owner and general manager Sam Hambour told news.com.au: “For most breweries, between 40-60% of beer goes into kegs and out to bars and restaurants. For us, 60% of our market disappeared overnight.
“This opportunity with Coles has allowed us to sell beer that otherwise didn’t have a home. It’s created an avenue for independent craft breweries to move beer that wouldn’t have reached the punters.”
Coles has also partnered with independent brewers such as Grifter, Akasha, Wayward and Stone & Wood in Sydney, Brisbane’s Hemingways, Big Hop and Newstead brewery, Adelaide’s Big Shed and Moo Brew and Melbourne’s Bodriggy, Brick Lane and Stomping Ground.
“We believe in supporting local producers and have been thrilled to offer Hop Nation and their network of breweries the opportunity to sell their product though our stores, which will hopefully make up some of the business lost as a result of recent bar and restaurant closures,” Coles business category manager for Vintage Cellars Ed Scully said.
Endeavour Drinks supports local producers
Endeavour Drinks is also looking to help the craft industry by adding local products to its line-up.
“Working with local breweries we will look to undertake extended local ranging through until August 2020 to support through this challenging period at both Dan Murphy’s and BWS stores,” Endeavour Drinks said in a statement.
Also, producers with small ranges are now able to list their products on Dan Murphy’s online marketplace.
“We manage the transaction, customer communication and logistics, the brewery just picks and packs the order and gets it to the post office,” Endeavour Group said. “To maximise interest from customers, Dan Murphy’s will accelerate promotion of ‘Direct from Supplier’ to its nationwide ‘My Dan’s’ database in the coming weeks and months.”
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