Sales of Moosehead Beer in Quebec are getting a boost from a new distribution partnership. The Saint John, N.B.-based brewery recently signed with McAuslan Brewing and Les Brasseurs R.J.. The two Montreal-based microbreweries aligned this month to compete with major breweries.
The triumvirate is meant to synergize sales, marketing and distribution said Peter McAuslan, president of McAuslan Brewing, which has been making Moosehead under licence in Quebec since 2002.
“R.J. has taken over the sales and marketing of all three breweries in Quebec,” said Joel Levesque, Moosehead’s vice-president of public relations. “They have a well-established distribution system and that has been the biggest challenge for Moosehead in Quebec.” All alcohol is available at corner stores and supermarkets in the province. “R.J. is particularly strong at the licensee and restaurant level, and we’ve already seen an increase in our sales in Quebec since the agreement was signed about three months ago,” said Levesque.
R.J. vice-president Philippe Jaar expects to benefit from Moosehead’s and McAuslan’s sales networks outside Quebec and in parts of the U.S.
“McAuslan’s products are very complementary to ours and target a different clientele, while Moosehead will be the only Canadian beer in the portfolio,” said Jaar, who estimated the three brands have a combined market share of 5% in Quebec (about 200,000 hectolitres of beer in a five million hectolitre market). There could also be synergies in promotions, he added.
“As far as marketing is concerned, in the beer business it’s still about feet on the street, point of sale and making deals with bars and restaurants,” said Levesque. “We have a couple of sales reps in Montreal working out of McAuslan, but now they can offer the whole portfolio of all three companies,” said Levesque.”
McAuslan produces and distributes McAuslan, St. Ambroise and Griffon, while R.J. is best known for Belle Gueule, Cheval Blanc and Tremblay.
