Cobra Beer celebrates a year in partnership with Molson Coors
Cobra beer founder Lord Bilimoria and brewing giant Molson Coors yesterday celebrated the first anniversary of the Cobra Beer Partnership (CBC) joint venture between the two businesses.
Speaking as the first Burton-brewed Cobra was being bottled since the CBC was created last year in the wake of Cobra going into administration, the brand's founder said he was "thrilled and very emotional" at marking what had been a "5,000-mile journey".
Bilimoria admitted the journey "had been tough, not easy", a reference to Cobra's collapse last year, owing around £70m to creditors and leading, eventually, to the joint venture with Molson Coors.
"Molson Coors has the best brewing team in the UK and our mission was to brew the best ever Indian beer and make it global. We can do that now," he said.
Adrian Davey, managing director of CBC, said the brewer was in talks with "several" pub operators with a view to getting Cobra listed in their pubs.
"Cobra used to be associated with curry restaurants. Now we want that association to be with curry, regardless of where it is eaten.
"Lots of pubs sell curries and we believe pub goers who want to eat such food will have a better experience doing so if they are drinking Cobra with their meal," he added.
Davey said the "lion's share" of profits from the joint venture, owned 51 per cent by Molson Coors and 49 per cent by Bilimoria, would go to the brewer "for at least the first three or four years".
Cobra's strategy in recent years was to raise its brand awareness and boost sales, a focus which meant profits suffered, with the group's administration move the final ignominy for the man who founded the beer 21 years ago.
However with his new partners Bilimoria appeared to have put the traumas of the past 18 months behind him.
"I am so very proud to be working with the Molson Coors team. We are all working together and there have been no short cuts to produce the beer we see today.
"The town of Burton brewed beer in the past to send to India and now it is brewing a beer from India to sell in the UK. It is like sending coals to Newcastle," he added.
