Grupo Modelo has advised that it has elected to terminate the agreement with Foster’s in relation to the distribution of Corona Extra, Pacifico Clara and Negra Modelo in Australia. This decision is not connected with CUB’s performance under the agreement, which has exceeded all contractual requirements.

While this will have a short-term impact, it is consistent with SABMiller’s long-term strategy of investing in and growing its own proprietary brands.

CUB, through SABMiller, now has access to its own global brands – Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Peroni Leggera, Miller Genuine Draft, Grolsch Premium Lager and Pilsner Urquell . CUB will invest to grow these throughout Australia to capitalise on the opportunity as a result of exiting the Modelo agreement.

Peroni is one of the fastest growing beers in Australia; Miller is currently receiving strong sales results from its recent test marketing campaign in Western Australia. In addition, Carlton Dry continues to be the fastest growing top 10 beer in Australia.

In addition, CUB will continue to invest in its own portfolio of leading domestic brands, including Carlton Draught, Victoria Bitter, Cascade, Crown Lager and the fastest selling craft beer, Fat Yak.

The termination of the agreement is effective immediately.

Ends…

Contacts:

Jeremy Griffith on 0467 817 142 or Jen Howard on 0417 306 781

Already growing in popularity with Australian consumers, Peroni Nastro Azzurro is an intensely crisp and refreshing lager, brewed with an unmistakable touch of Italian style since 1963.

“The increased offering in the rapidly growing premium beer segment will create new opportunities for customers,” said Ari Mervis, Chief Executive Foster’s Group, “Beer drinkers will ultimately benefit from the increased distribution that CUB can bring to these great brands.”

With the completion of the SABMiller-Foster’s Group transaction, SABMiller is to acquire the remaining 50% interest from CCA in Pacific Beverages which will bring all brands and operations under the CUB business from 16 January.

Following the SABMiller transaction, Anheuser Busch InBev, global owner of Stella Artois, Hoegaarden and Leffe, has exercised its right to end its relationship with CUB for these brands.

The resolution to approve the Scheme was approved by Foster’s ordinary shareholders at a meeting in Melbourne. The results of the Scheme Meeting are attached. In summary, 99.1% of the votes cast were in favour of the resolution, and 87.2% of shareholders present at the meeting (in person or by proxy) voted in favour of the resolution.

Foster’s chairman David Crawford thanked Foster’s shareholders for their support of the Board’s recommendation to approve the Scheme.

“This is a historic day for this great Australian brewing company. While the ownership of Foster’s will soon change, the beer and the brands will still be produced in Australia and be developed and brewed by Australians,” Mr Crawford said.

“The company will continue to be a central part of the Australian community through its local manufacturing, its community support and, of course, its famous brands. Foster’s has been part of Australia for over a century and is certain to continue to feature in Australian life for many years to come.”

As announced to ASX on 18 November 2011, as a class ruling from the Australian Commissioner of Taxation in connection with the proposed Capital Return was not able to be obtained on terms that were acceptable to Foster’s and SABMiller, the Capital Return Resolution was not put to Foster’s Shareholders at the General Meeting today.

Foster’s will apply to the Supreme Court of Victoria for approval of the Scheme at a hearing scheduled for 2 December 2011. The Board will make a further announcement after the Court has considered the matter. If the Supreme Court of Victoria approves the Scheme, Foster’s proposes to lodge the orders of the Court with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on 2 December 2011 and the Scheme will become effective on that date. If this occurs, Foster’s shares will cease trading on the Australian Securities Exchange on 2 December 2011.

If Court approval is granted, Foster’s fully paid shareholders will receive $5.40 per fully paid share and Foster’s partly paid shareholders will receive between $1.36 and $2.17 per partly paid share (depending upon the unpaid portion of the issue price of the partly paid shares).
Shareholders are expected to be sent their transaction consideration by 21 December 2011.

Foster’s has established the Foster’s Shareholder Information Line to answer questions shareholders may have in relation to the Transaction. The Foster’s Shareholder Information Line is available on business days between 9.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. (Melbourne time) on 1300 048 608 (within Australia) or +61 3 9415 4812 (international).

Further information:

Media
Andrew Butcher
Butcher & Co.
Tel: +61 3 9654 0735
Mob: +61 400 841 088

Ian Smith
Bespoke Approach
Tel: +61 8 8419 2888
Mob: +61 418 814 611

Investors
Chris Knorr
Foster’s Group Limited
Tel: +61 3 9633 2685
Mob: +61 417 033 623

International Beer Day brings the world together under the united banner of beer by celebrating beers of all nations in pubs, clubs, breweries, beer gardens and backyards across the globe.

It’s a day dedicated to not only celebrating beer but according to the official website (www.internationalbeerday.com) “the establishments who produce it, sell it and give folks a place to enjoy it.”

Great Northern co-creator and Carlton United Brewers (CUB) Queensland General Manager Cameron Levick said he was chuffed to discover there was a day dedicated to recognising the efforts of great brewers around the world.

“We have been overwhelmed by the positive response to Great Northern, the beer our Queensland brewers created for Queenslanders, since its launch in October last year,” Mr Levick said.

“Our brewery is the largest in Australia and produces enough beer to fill two Olympic size swimming pools each week.

“To put it into perspective, our Great Northern brew is produced from our brewery at a rate of nearly 10,000 litres per day and that’s only one brand.

“This is a far cry from the first brewers of beer, the Ancient Egyptians who in 7000BC produced only 1000 litres per day but it’s these forefathers, our brewing ancestors, who we should really celebrate today.”

To commemorate the day Great Northern has released a number of little known beer facts:

• A devout beer lover is called a cerevisaphile (pronounced sir-a-vehs-a-file).
• In ancient Babylon, the bride’s father would supply his son-in law with a month’s supply of honey beer in the lead up to the big day. As their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the “honey month”, or what we call today the “honeymoon”.
• Before thermometers were invented, brewers would dip a thumb or finger into the mix to find the right temperature for adding yeast. This is where the phrase “rule of thumb” comes from.
• In English pubs, beer is ordered by pints and quarts. So in old England, when patrons became rowdy, the bartender would yell at them to mind their own pints and quarts. This is where we get the phrase ‘mind your P’s and Q’s’.

“The impact beer has had on everyday life could be likened to the invention of the wheel, the light globe or the internet so it is important for Brisbane locals to take time out and celebrate the day with the rest of the world,” Mr Levick said.

Great Northern Brewing Co. was named in tribute to CUB’s first ever Queensland based brewing operation, the Great Northern Brewery in Cairns acquired in 1931. Back then, beer was made locally for locals. That brewery has since gone, but the concept of drinking locally made beer lives on in Great Northern Brewing Co.

Great Northern Brewing Co. is brewed longer for a super crisp and refreshing full strength lager. Each 330ml stubby contains 1.1 standard drinks and 4.2% ABV.

Media enquiries:
Lisa O’Donnell, Sequel Communications on (07) 3251 8142 or 0403 090 913

International Beer Day brings the world together under the united banner of beer by celebrating beers of all nations in pubs, clubs, breweries, beer gardens and backyards across the globe.

It’s a day dedicated to not only celebrating beer but according to the official website (www.internationalbeerday.com) “the establishments who produce it, sell it and give folks a place to enjoy it.”

Great Northern co-creator and Carlton United Brewers (CUB) Queensland General Manager Cameron Levick said he was chuffed to discover there was a day dedicated to recognising the efforts of great brewers around the world.

“We have been overwhelmed by the positive response to Great Northern, the beer our Queensland brewers created for Queenslanders, since its launch in October last year,” Mr Levick said.

“Our brewery is the largest in Australia and produces enough beer to fill two Olympic size swimming pools each week.

“To put it into perspective, our Great Northern brew is produced from our brewery at a rate of nearly 10,000 litres per day and that’s only one brand.

“This is a far cry from the first brewers of beer, the Ancient Egyptians who in 7000BC produced only 1000 litres per day but it’s these forefathers, our brewing ancestors, who we should really celebrate today.”

To commemorate the day Great Northern has released a number of little known beer facts:

• A devout beer lover is called a cerevisaphile (pronounced sir-a-vehs-a-file).
• In ancient Babylon, the bride’s father would supply his son-in law with a month’s supply of honey beer in the lead up to the big day. As their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the “honey month”, or what we call today the “honeymoon”.
• Before thermometers were invented, brewers would dip a thumb or finger into the mix to find the right temperature for adding yeast. This is where the phrase “rule of thumb” comes from.
• In English pubs, beer is ordered by pints and quarts. So in old England, when patrons became rowdy, the bartender would yell at them to mind their own pints and quarts. This is where we get the phrase ‘mind your P’s and Q’s’.

“The impact beer has had on everyday life could be likened to the invention of the wheel, the light globe or the internet so it is important for Brisbane locals to take time out and celebrate the day with the rest of the world,” Mr Levick said.

Great Northern Brewing Co. was named in tribute to CUB’s first ever Queensland based brewing operation, the Great Northern Brewery in Cairns acquired in 1931. Back then, beer was made locally for locals. That brewery has since gone, but the concept of drinking locally made beer lives on in Great Northern Brewing Co.

Great Northern Brewing Co. is brewed longer for a super crisp and refreshing full strength lager. Each 330ml stubby contains 1.1 standard drinks and 4.2% ABV.

Media enquiries:
Lisa O’Donnell, Sequel Communications on (07) 3251 8142 or 0403 090 913

HP sauce, pork pies, Bulmers cider… just a few of the things that go well together and all the more convenient when in smaller sizes. We all know good things come in small packages so thankfully this month Bulmers – one of the genuinely famous names in cider – will roll out the refreshing, soft pear flavours of Bulmers Pear in a new and very convenient 330ml bottle format.

Bulmers Pear on tap and in the 500ml bottles have become a favourite cider in pubs around Australia and now the easy-to-carry 330ml bottle four pack and 24 pack case mean it’s available to broader occasions outside of the pub like enjoying it at home.

Made from the finest pressed pear fruit, Bulmers Pear maintains the distinctive quality of Bulmers Original but with a clean, noticeable pear character, well-balanced fruit and a crisp, dry finish and is best served over ice. A classic pub cider, Bulmers is the perfect partner to classic pork and duck dishes such as roast pork, country style pork terrine, glazed duck and of course the pork pie.

Cider has exploded in the UK and is currently the fastest growing alcohol category in Australia¹, being adopted by progressive Australian drinkers as a refreshing alternative to beer and wine.

Clive Coleman, Group Marketing Manager of Bulmers says this latest product innovation is all about convenience.

“Bulmers is certainly hitting the mark as a favourite cider in pubs and the 330ml bottle four packs offer that convenience for cider drinkers to enjoy their favourite pub cider at home,” explains Coleman.

Bulmers is all about bringing the best of Britain to our shores and as a proud supporter of comedy having sponsored the Bulmers Best of Edinburgh Festival earlier in 2011, it’s no coincidence that the release of 330ml coincides with the start of another comedic event – the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Kicking off this week in Scotland, The Fringe as it’s known, is the largest arts festival in the world and spans theatre, comedy, dance, physical theatre, musicals, operas, music, exhibitions and events.

Bulmers Pear 330ml bottles are available in bottle shops and great bars and pubs nationally. RRP $12.99 for a four-pack or $59.99 for a 24-pack. ABV 4.7% / 1.2 standard drinks.

Bulmers is made under licence in Australia by Carlton United Brewers.

For further information or images please contact:

Allira Carroll at Liquid Ideas alliracarroll@liquidideas.com.au 02 9667 4211 / 0468 916 482
Jemma Lee at Liquid Ideas jemmalee@liquidideas.com.au 02 9667 4211 / 0438 285 545

___________________________________
¹ Source: Nielsen Australia ScanTrack Liquor (Value Sales MAT 31.3.11)

Classic and craft in style, Dirty Granny has a rich and full flavour which combines a good balance of sweetness and acidity and the crisp, refreshing taste of 100% Australian apples.

As everyone knows, cider’s popularity is going gangbusters and as more ciders enter the market people are looking for different styles, more nuance, more authenticity and more apple-y bang for their buck.

It’s a Matilda Bay-style cider through and through – it fits our style, it tastes great, it’s much darker and drier than a lot of ciders on the market and, well, its name is nothing short of idiosyncratic.

The name Dirty Granny came about when the brewers were fiddling around at the Garage Brewery. Compared to other ciders, when poured Dirty Granny is much darker, almost dirty rustic colour and the taste reminded us of a juicy, fresh green apple. We just thought Dirty Granny was a bit of fun!

Scott Vincent, Matilda Bay’s Head Brewer and now cider maker extraordinaire reckons he approached Dirty Granny just like he would any of the Matilda Bay craft beers.

reckons he approached just like he would any of the Matilda Bay craft beers.

“We made the rules when it comes to craft brewing so we figure we know which rules to break to make an amazing craft cider,” explains Vincent.

explains Vincent.

“With a bit of advice from a cider maker, we were able to tweak our own craft brewing style to create a darker, drier cider with real apple intensity and that’s what we’ve got! It’s just brilliant that we are allowed to play around with this stuff.”

Dirty Granny has been brewed at lower gravity to ensure integrated and robust flavours. Grannies should lay off the sugar, so we have too – there’s none added to this one.

has been brewed at lower gravity to ensure integrated and robust flavours. Grannies should lay off the sugar, so we have too – there’s none added to this one.

In true Matilda Bay style, we’ve tested Dirty Granny on tap in a handful of selected bars since June and it’s going pretty damn well so we’re giving her a go in bottle from late July.

At Matilda Bay we like our tucker and we think Dirty Granny is ideal with Turkish flat bread and camembert, pear and rocket.

Dirty Granny is available at Dan Murphy’s and other selected premium liquor stores in six-pack or cases from late July.

is available at Dan Murphy’s and other selected premium liquor stores in six-pack or cases from late July.

Dirty Granny RRP is $19.50 per six pack or $57.99 per case. ABV is 5.5% / 1.5 standard drinks.

RRP is $19.50 per six pack or $57.99 per case. ABV is 5.5% / 1.5 standard drinks.

This Friday 8 April, two contenders will take on the pure, rugged nature of country Victoria crossing fields, navigating rivers and scaling mountains in a quest to win their share of $100,000 – up for grabs in Pure Blonde’s first ever on-pack promotion, Quest for Cash.

The contenders, two teams from Tasmania and from New South Wales, were the first to collect and register all four quarters of the map of Brewtopia printed inside cartons of specially-marked cases of Pure Blonde Premium, Pure Blonde Naked and Pure Blonde White Lager.

The exact location is top secret until the day and the Pure Blonde team are remaining tight-lipped about the details… only revealing that this Quest for Cash will be somewhere in the rugged and rocky Victorian countryside.

With the aid of a map, the challengers will have to pass through 10 checkpoints and collect five crystals that have been placed around the event site. At a ‘top point’, they’ll insert the five correct crystals into the chest which will open to reveal their major prize of $90,000.

The runner up will not leave empty handed though; they’ll receive a nifty $10,000. Losing ain’t so bad!

Richard Oppy, Group Marketing Manager for Pure Blonde says the Quest for Cash won’t be an easy challenge.

“Our ‘questers’ will have their work cut out for them – there are some wild challenges planned on the course – but it’s really anyone’s game. At the end of the day everyone is a winner… literally, they’ll either find themselves $90,000 or $10,000 richer which isn’t a bad result either way!” said Oppy.

The Pure Blonde Quest for Cash concept is based on the current TVC, launched last November, which follows two wide-eyed blokes embarking, map in hand, on an adventure through the picturesque land of Brewtopia, the ultimate destination for beer lovers.

Landing on the Australian beer-lover’s radar in 2004, Pure Blonde pioneered Australia’s low carb beer market and remains Australia’s number one selling low carb beer.  In 2010, Pure Blonde launched the Pure Blonde White Lager, a premium wheat beer, which was the first of its kind in Australia in terms of adapting this style to a lower carb beer.

-ENDS -

For further media information or images please contact:

Allira Carroll at Liquid Ideas alliracarroll@liquidideas.com.au 02 9667 4211 / 0468 916 482

Jemma Lee at Liquid Ideas jemmalee@liquidideas.com.au 02 9667 4211 / 0438 285 54

CUB Queensland General Manager Cameron Levick said it was a privilege to make the beer available to SES volunteers and Rural Firefighters who have assisted during this crisis in Brisbane as a part of its ‘Flood, Sweat and Cheers’ campaign.

“No matter what the emergency or crisis, the SES and Rural Firefighters always give their time and the floods have been no exception. Since Christmas day in flood affected areas there has been SES and Rural Fire Services there to deal with the floods and many have worked constantly without a day off since,” Mr Levick said.

“CUB wanted to recognise the volunteers’ efforts in a small way by providing them with Great Northern, a beer brewed at Queensland’s and Australia’s biggest brewery at Yatala.”

Emergency Management Queensland Regional Director for Brisbane Shane Wood said the Great Northern offer will be most welcomed.

“Volunteers join organisations such as the SES to offer the community a helping hand in its time of need,” Mr Wood said.

“They don’t do this work to get a slap on the back but to know people appreciate their efforts means a lot.”

Mr Levick said over the coming weeks up to 4000 cases will be distributed by the SES and Rural Fire Service to volunteers deployed during the floods.

“Queensland’s recovery is going to be a long and arduous process and we need the SES and Rural Fire Service to know Queenslanders appreciate everything they are currently doing and will have to do in the days, weeks and months ahead,” he said.

“The state has been severely affected by these floods but people are fighting back through hard work. Providing them with a cold beer is the least we could do.”

Editor’s Note: Foster’s has committed $500,000 to support the flood relief through a mixture of direct support to affected employees; customer assistance; product donation; and a contribution to the general relief fund. We have also despatched 9,000 cartons of Torquay water (216,000 bottles) to the flood-affected communities west of Brisbane, which have been left without drinking water.

-ENDS-

For further media information please contact:

For Great Northern:
Shaun Rigby, Sequel Communications on 07 3251 8140 or 0438 021 936

For Department of Community Safety:
Leah Hornibrook on 07 3635 3417 or 0438 143 281

Flood, Sweat and Cheers’ for Unsung Volunteers in Queensland (PDF, 202 kB)