Boutique breweries stage takeover
As if to confirm the rampant success of the country’s booming boutique brewing scene, reports coming out of supermarkets and liquor chains say craft beer is occupying an increasing amount of shelf space.
Foodstuffs, which owns New World, says it has seen steady growth at stores, with craft beer representing just over 13 per cent of total beer sales over the last 12 months, up from 9 per cent two years ago.
At Countdown, craft beer now accounts for about 10 per cent of its total beer sales, and that figure is growing.
While the figures are open to debate on the grounds of what the definition of craft beer actually is, depending on whether it is made by a major or boutique brewery, they certainly suggest the industry is growing in popularity.
‘‘In the past few years we have seen a steady increase in the popularity of craft beer in our supermarkets,’’ said Foodstuffs spokes-
Craft beer’s share of total market sales is increasing every year, retailers’ figures confirm. Photo: FAIRFAX NZ woman Katherine Klouwens. But craft beer is not only pushing out its mainstream rivals in urban areas such as Wellington and Auckland, but also in rural areas.
Liquorland chief executive Rod Gibson said while sales were still quite fragmented outside the cities there were many rural stores where the customer preference was turn- ing to craft. Reese Drake, a divisional manager at New World Thorndon, Wellington, said one driver appears to be the flexibility of craft beer, with drinkers able to imbibe it at a fancy dinner or in the back yard with mates.
‘‘The diversity is massive at the moment. It’s outgrowing the wine category.’’