Name: gbfood
Address: UK

Tapping into beer exports

UK beer exports are on the rise, with export values of £603.6 million in 2017 and beer being one of the top 5 exports to the EU last year*. Exports of beer to the U.S. alone were worth £139.1 million*. There has never been a better time for South West breweries to make the most of overseas opportunities.

One South West brewery taking advantage of overseas demand is Electric Bear Brewing Company. Based in Bath, Electric Bear was one of four British breweries selected by the Slovenian public and the retailer Mercator earlier this year to take part in a showcase of British beer in Mercator stores. The showcase was organised in partnership with the Department for International Trade and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Food is GREAT campaign, an initiative profiling the range of support available to British businesses to sell their food and drink products overseas.

Mercator logoMercator is Slovenia’s biggest retailer with shopping centres in Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. They saw potential to partner with Beer Bulli, a renovated vintage Volkswagen camper van turned mobile bar, to educate people about what craft beer actually is and promote Slovenian – British trading. They were the main sponsors of the Beer Bulli project and in partnership with the Food is GREAT campaign, they launched a ŠIŠKA is GREAT campaign with a taste test of 70 British beers in Mercator stores. Four beers were selected and stocked on the shelves to sell to the Slovenian general public. The public voted for St. Peter’s Stout, Hogs Back Brewery’s Hogstar, Electric Bear’s Above the Clouds and Robinsons Brewery’s Trooper.
Chris Lewis, Owner of Electric Bear Brewing Company, had this to say about being one of the top four beers picked by the Slovenian public:

“It is such an honour. I’m incredibly proud and want to say thank you to everybody that voted for our beer. It’s hard work but it’s all made worthwhile when we come in the top four of 70 beers tested.”

Electric Bear is taking advantage of overseas demand. What’s stopping your company from doing the same?

The Beer Bulli van then drove through Europe to visit three of the British breweries, including a visit to Electric Bear. Here’s a collection of photos from the visit: