Coopers Brewery’s distribution company, Premium Beverages, has won the rights to distribute Budweiser beer in New Zealand from October 1 this year.
The agreement follows the signing of a new contract recently between Anheuser-Busch, the US brewer of Budweiser, and Premium Beverages, an 80% owned subsidiary of Coopers Brewery.
Premium Beverages MD, Bruce Siney, said New Zealand had a very competitive beer market, but there were strong opportunities to further develop the Budweiser presence.
He said the former distributor, Negociants, had established a sound base in New Zealand for the Coopers brand.
Premium Beverages chairman, Dr Tim Cooper, said imported beer was a fast growing category in the New Zealand beer market and Premium Beverages looked forward to the challenge ahead.