Foster's Radler success continues low-abv citrus beer boom

Foster’s Radler has sold almost £5m in six months

Heineken has revealed further evidence of the boom of low-alcohol citrus-flavoured drinks, with sales of Foster’s Radler bringing in almost £5m in six months.

And just over half the £4.6m off-trade sales of the drink - a mixture of Foster’s and lemon concentrate - which rolled out in March, have been incremental to the low-alcohol lager category [IRI w/e 13 July 2013].

The market for low-abv lager is worth £58m but Heineken said the ‘mid-strength moderation segment’ could represent a £300m sales potential.

“Foster’s Radler is riding high on the back of a bright summer, but its success is grounded in the fact it fulfils a real consumer need,” said marketing director Jacco van der Linden. Sales of Carling Zest, the first citrus-flavoured lager to hit the UK market, have topped £13m since launching in March 2012. Heineken, Carlsberg and Dutch brewer Bavaria have also launched citrus products.