Cask ale outperforms on-trade market
Cask ale outperformed the rest of the on-trade beer market last year and is set to return to growth by 2011 at the latest.
New figures from Nielsen's GB Cask Ale Market Report 2008 show cask-ale volumes fell 3.3% to 2.4m barrels in 2008. That compares to a fall of 9.5% in beer overall. The news comes as separate British Beer & Pub Association figures show the fall in beer sales is slowing this year, despite accelerating pub closures (Beer sales start to stabilise).
The Nielsen figures show cask ale now equates to nearly 13.5% of the on-trade draught beer market, 34.5% of ale sold through the on-trade and 7.6% of the total beer market.
The statistics also show an increase in distribution for cask ales — just under 40% of venues now stock it.
"That breaks down into 65% of national pub chains stocking cask ale, 80% of regional brewery pubs and 35% of clubs," said Nielsen consultant Graham Page.
"Furthermore, anecdotal evidence from Cask Marque, pub companies and licensees suggests cask-ale distribution is rising again as more pubs use cask ale as a point of difference to the 'cheap as chips' off-trade beer offerings."
Top-performing brands based on volume sales last year included Marston's, Abbot Ale, Draught Bass, Old Speckled Hen and Bombardier in the premium sector.
In standard ales Greene King IPA, London Pride and Courage Best also did well.
"I am confident that this momentum will continue to carry the category and both regional and national brands forward," said Ian Ward, Marston's marketing manager. "We are seeing not only revived consumer interest, but also a recognition by retailers that stocking cask ale drives footfall.
"As more of the big retailers get on board I can only see cask ale continuing to outperform the market."
