Craft beer the new door opener for supermarkets

Tesco is not alone in betting on craft beer. Tapping into the GBP 100 million in annual craft beer sales (2016), the supermarket chain Asda extended its craft beer offering in May by adding over 100 new beers, including several exclusive products.

Up to ten percent of Asda’s beer space will now be dedicated to craft beer, helping introduce more regional beers to areas outside of their locales.

Asda said the new range will offer “quality products at market leading value” whilst giving customers an opportunity to learn more about the craft beer movement through on-shelf material.

New beers added to the range include Stone IPA and Harpoon IPA from the US.

Not to be outdone, on the bank holiday weekend of 28 May 2017, Aldi, now the UK’s fifth-largest grocer by market share, launched 16 British artisan ales in its 700 stores for GBP 1.29 (USD 1.67) per 0.5 litre bottle. The snag is that the range is part of Aldi’s “Specialbuys“. Once they’re gone they’re gone.