Coopers brews new deal with Supercars series

Coopers has continued its links with a leading Australian sporting competition by signing a new deal with the Australian Supercars Championship.

The Adelaide-based brewery will be the official beer supplier and signage sponsor for the country’s premier automobile series for at least another two years.

Coopers is already the exclusive beer provider for the Australian Open tennis and the Women’s Australian Open golf tournament.

The latest announcement extends Coopers sponsorship relationship with the Supercars, a link that started in 2012.

Under the agreement, Coopers provides all beer products at Australia Supercars Championship events – among the country’s largest entertainment platforms – enjoys significant at-track presence and increased integration with broadcast and digital spaces.

Coopers’ National Marketing Director, Cam Pearce, said the brewery’s relationship had been extremely positive for both parties.

“The Supercars series has been fantastic for us,” he said.

“Supercars is the third most attended sport in Australia and the fourth most watched and has enabled us to showcase a number of our beers across all states and particularly regional Australia.

“In particular, it has boosted awareness of Coopers Mild Ale 3.5% which has now established itself as a leader in the Australian mid-strength beer market.”

As part of its sponsorship, Coopers receives prominent television track signage at such iconic locations as The Bathurst Dipper, the Hairpin at Newcastle and the palm trees on the Gold Coast pit straight.

Supercars General Manager – Commercial, Jamie Black said Coopers was a natural partner for the series given its proud Australian heritage.

“It is fitting that here in Adelaide for our very first event of 2019 we are able to announce this extension with such an iconic brand as Coopers,” Black said.

“The Coopers team has an incredibly proud history as one of the country's great business success stories as a family owned company for more than 150 years. As one of Australia's largest sports we could not be prouder to partner with the Coopers brand.”

It has been a positive week for Coopers, who reported outstanding growth for its South Australian maltings program.

The maltings was officially opened in late November, 2017 and has now reached 90% capacity, well ahead of budget, partly on the back of stronger than anticipated demand from Australia’s growing craft beverages sector. Coopers Malting Manager, Dr Doug Stewart, said domestic craft brewers and distillers were predicted to use about 5500 tonnes of malt this year – more than 10% of annual production – and demand was continuing to grow.

The plant had helped Coopers offset its first drop in beer sales for 24 years. The brewery’s beer volumes declined by 9.1 per cent. After allowing for products which were discontinued after FY17, the decline was 7.5 per cent.