ONE YEAR & FIVE MILLION PINTS: Stunning Global Success for Robinsons & TROOPER
· Five million pints brewed within 1st year of launch
· Unprecedented export success with 47% of total beer brewed being sold in 40 countries
· Robinsons TROOPER team doubled in last 6 months.
· TROOPER now has off trade listings in the UK’s top 4 retailers: Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco’s and Asda.
· Confirmed as the Official Festival Ale of SONISPHERE Festival, Knebworth House, July 5th
Today, 9th May 2014 marks the first anniversary of TROOPER beer, the hugely successful collaboration between ROBINSONS BREWERY and IRON MAIDEN which has exceeded all expectations for the Cheshire family brewers.
Since the beer’s launch Robinsons have brewed a staggering 5 MILLION pints of TROOPER of which almost 50% is exclusively for the export market. TROOPER is currently distributed in 40 countries and its continuing global expansion, allied with the expanded capacity and capabilities of a new brew house, has seen Robinsons more than quadruple their export sales, which are up 730% YTD.
Robinsons Joint Managing Director Oliver Robinson explains why it’s been an incredible first year and how the future is every bit as exciting:
“Establishing a new beer is a long and difficult process. It’s tough enough to launch a new beer in the UK, but to do so this successfully and to also take a beer global immediately is a different scenario altogether. Brewing over 5 million pints in a single year is not extraordinary in itself. However, brewing 5 million pints within the FIRST year of launching a new ale brand is astonishing for a regional brewer like Robinsons. Also, 47% of the beer brewed is already being shipped to 40 countries – of which 15 markets are first timers for Robinsons – including 36 out of 50 US States, Canada, Europe, Mexico, and Brazil. This is quite simply the most successful new product we have ever launched into the export market in our 175 year history. Furthermore this success has, in turn, had a very positive impact on our own brands, such as Dizzy Blonde and Unicorn. Full credit goes to our export partners Sovereign Beverages for their total commitment and for working so diligently.”
“We have big plans for TROOPER and are committed to ensuring its future as a premium British beer. To do this we need to ensure that we have the right people in place to make it happen and deliver our vision for this fantastic worldwide beer brand. Consequently, we’re delighted to announce an expansion of our workforce. The team responsible for developing TROOPER, promoting it, and bringing it to market has more than doubled in the last six months. As part of this expansion, John Robinson will move from his role as Brands Manager responsible for 24 of Robinsons’ brands, to focus exclusively on TROOPER.”
IRON MAIDEN’s Lead Singer Bruce Dickinson summarises the relationship:
“When asked a year and a half ago if we wanted to enter into a partnership with the respected Robinsons Brewery to design and brew a real ale for ourselves and our fans, we leapt at the chance. What has been particularly encouraging, over and above the international sales success and even over the tremendous reaction from our fans, is how it has been so warmly welcomed by serious beer aficionados outside the Iron Maiden community. As a dedicated ale drinker myself, I was very aware of the many great beers available and the extremely high level of competition we faced. For TROOPER to have grabbed people’s imagination and taste buds right from the very start has given us all a real sense of satisfaction. We’re very grateful to our new friends at Robinsons and our export partner, Sovereign Beverages, for their continued dedication in getting TROOPER out to quality ale fans globally.”
One of many planned strategies to further the global expansion of the brand is to use the huge online community of TROOPER fans to help accurately track the beer across the world by launching an updated beer finder, aptly titled TROOPER TRACKER. As well as featuring trade locations, the TROOPER TRACKER will allow the fans to post not only the location where they find the beer, but the date too – improving the accuracy of the crowd-sourced information and particularly helping those looking for (shorter shelf life) cask beer.
On top of all these exciting new TROOPER initiatives comes the news that the beer has just been named “Official Ale” of the Sonisphere Festival, Knebworth Park, where on July 5th 2014 IRON MAIDEN will give a headline performance on the final date of their Maiden England World Tour which began in June 2012 and by which time will have been seen by well over two and a half million fans around the globe.
It has been a momentous first year for TROOPER and a cause for celebration for not only IRON MAIDEN and ROBINSONS, but also for British Real Ale and its continued expansion and appreciation around the world.
For Further Information etc… For more information on how to get your hands on TROOPER please contact:
•Kate.Darbyshire@frederic-robinson.co.uk for Off Trade and Export
•Claire.Middleton@frederic-robinson.co.uk for On Trade
•For Export enquiries – info@sovereignbeverage.co.uk
For all other TROOPER updates visit www.ironmaidenbeer.com and follow IronMaidenBeer on Facebook or Twitter.
