Having trouble getting your hands on White Claw? You’re not alone. The hard seltzer, which launched in Australia last month, has been so successful that the distributor is having trouble keeping up with its popularity.
Lion Australia has revealed the launch surpassed all its expectations and delivered $4 million in retail sales value in its first week. This makes the introduction of White Claw one of Lion’s most successful product launches to date, with international stock deliveries now being fast-tracked to satisfy demand.
Managing Director of Lion Australia James Brindley said the anticipation and demand for the product had been building even before Lion announced it would be bringing the hard seltzer to Australia.
“White Claw is truly a global phenomenon disrupting the alcohol category,” he said.
“We’re overwhelmed at how Australian drinkers have responded to the launch, and to address demand we have increased production and our team have fast-tracked stock allocations to keep all retailers in stock as best we can – a model that we will continue to follow for the foreseeable future.
“After a long winter, Australians have shown they are ready to relax and celebrate this summer with a refreshing White Claw in hand.”
The brand faced similar shortages in the US last year. Mark Anthony Brands International, the brand owner of White Claw Hard Seltzer, was forced to purposefully limit supply to ensure it could serve all of its markets, a distribution practice called allocation.
“We are working around the clock to increase supply given the rapid growth in consumer demand,” Sanjiv Gajiwala, White Claw’s senior vice president of marketing, told CNN Business. “White Claw has accelerated faster than anyone could have predicted.”
White Claw to open $400million plant
White Claw is the number one hard seltzer in the US and has established cult status in a category that has been growing at a triple-digit annual rate since 2016.
Mark Anthony Brands International is urgently expanding to larger production facilities to service demand in new markets including the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands and Australia. A state-of-the-art $US400 million facility will open in South Carolina next year.
Sales of hard seltzers are predicted to be worth $US14.5billion by 2027, boosted by the huge response the category has received in the US and overseas markets such as Australia, according to findings from Grand View Research.
Where you can find White Claw
There is currently limited availability of White Claw at leading retailers. If you’re having trouble finding it on shelf, head online to track some down. Many of the major retailers are offering click and collect on the product to ensure customers aren’t disappointed when they arrive in store.
Four-packs of 330ml cans have an RRP of $23.99.
Categories: Lifestyle
