Since its UK launch at the end of September 2010, award-winning Czech beer Kozel has been successfully pouring exclusively in the on-trade, initially solely with launch partner Mitchell’s and Butler.
Now available through the on-trade, draught-only brand Kozel’s quirky personality has been embraced by both consumers and the trade alike, with Kozel (meaning ‘goat’ in Czech), brought to life in a recent in-outlet promotion run in selected Mitchell’s and Butler ‘Metro Professional’ pubs.
Licensees were asked to help Kozel gift a goat to an African village – a feat that they took up with gusto. For every pint of Kozel sold, 10p was donated to Oxfam’s ‘Gift a Goat’ programme. In total, 24 goats were gifted with the Railway Tavern in Clapham selling enough goats to make two African villages very happy!
Laura Edwards, Trade Marketing Director at Miller Brands said: “Kozel has a distinctive, quirky brand personality which is personified by our goat mascot. We wanted to create a promotion that supported the launch of Kozel, introduced the beer and the goat mascot to both licensees and their customers, the Gift a Goat promotion was the perfect way to do this.
The promotion created a real talking point in the pubs and bars with their customers really getting behind it. Staff advocacy, not only through selling but through increased visibility and promotion on chalk boards, was key in driving success in these outlets.”
Kozel, which has been brewed in the small Czech village of Velke Popovice since 1874, offers trade support to all new stockists through staff training, supply of premium glassware, point of sale material and visibility items including stand alone fonts and t-bars.
In addition to consumer activation, Kozel will also be rewarding excellence in outlets with staff given the opportunity to win various prizes.
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Notes to Editors:
About Kozel
The original, then state-of-the-art, brewery was founded by the Prague industrialist Frantisek Ringhoffer. He and the first Kozel brewmaster produced their first batch of smooth Kozel in December 1874. Frantisek selected the village for the outstanding properties the water brought to the brewing process. Since just after World War I, the beer has prided itself in its official trademark and has grown to rank among the largest and most popular beers in Bohemia. Velkopopovický Kozel has remained one of the best and most popular Czech beer brands through the 30s and 40s – and even after the company was nationalised in 1945. In the early 90s, the brewery became a private company once more. Since 1999, it has been part of Plzeñsky Prazdroj, a.s., which itself is owned by SABMiller
About Miller Brands
Miller Brands is the UK and Ireland subsidiary of SABMiller, one of the world's largest brewers. Miller Brands has responsibility for the development of SABMiller’s international premium brands across the UK and Ireland; these include Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Pilsner Urquell and Miller Genuine Draft. Through its consistent pricing and distribution discipline, supplemented by engaging marketing activities, Miller Brands is bringing value back into the beer category. Sales are currently growing in excess of 20% year on year in a declining market and this is increasingly recognised and referenced by retailers. More information can be found at www.millerbrands.co.uk.
About Mitchells & Butlers
Mitchells & Butlers is the leading operator of restaurants and pub s in the UK. Its leading portfolio brands includes Harvester, Toby Carvery, Vintage Inns, Premium Country Dining Group, Crown Carveries, Sizzling Pub Co., Browns, Miller & Carter, Metro Professionals, All Bar One, Nicholson's, Metro Professionals, O'Neill's and Ember Inns. Further details are available at www.mbplc.com and supporting images at www.mbplc.com/imagelibrary.
For more information please contact:
Clarion Communications
020 7479 0910
miller.brands@clarioncomms.co.uk