A consortium led by former CUB CEO Peter Filipovic plans to use its 200 licensed venues to turbocharge sales of the four drinks brands it has acquired from Mighty Craft.

Last week, the consortium acquired Mismatch Brewing and 78 Degrees distillery in a deal was worth $7.2 million dollars. It followed them buying Jetty Road from Mighty Craft late last year for $3 million, in addition to Hills Cider.

Mighty Craft acquired South Australia’s Adelaide Hills Group for $47 million in 2021. Its brand portfolio included The Hills Cider Company (six core cider products), 78 Degrees (with whisky, gin, vodka and RTD products) with Adelaide Hills Distillery winning significant whisky awards at both the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the World Whiskies Awards in 2021; and Mismatch Brewing Co (South Australia’s largest independent craft beer operator).

Called United Publicans group, the consortium led by Filipovic includes comedian Mick Molloy and publican Richie Ludbrook.

Filipovic told The Australian: “There are the immediate upside opportunities within the publican group that we’ve created. We have over 200 properties within the group that we ensure distribution of these brands in – not many other groups can do that.’’

United Publicans has more than 100 pubs in Victoria, about 16 in South Australia, more than 30 in Queensland and the rest in NSW. Fiipovic noted that it is usually quite difficult to get into taps in the on-premise, but the newly acquired brands would not face those obstacles.

The Australian reported: “It is still aiming to get its brands on the shelves at the major liquor outlets, but Mr Filipovic said being able to get on tap in their own venues is a huge positive.”

“When we’re building the brands – each of them have their local communities and we’ll invest in that – and ensure distribution through the pub network that we have and enable them to be brand champions for each of the brands we have,’’ he said.