Molson Coors is to launch a raft of new products designed to make beer more appealing to women, The Grocer can reveal.

Much of the innovation focuses on making drinkers feel less bloated, a factor identified as a concern for women by the brewer's BitterSweet Partnership, an initiative set up to research the female market for beer. New products will include a range of beer for women and a premium, less-carbonated Carling ­variant.

"Women have been a big part of Molson Coors' focus in the past couple of years as it believes there are still big opportunities in the UK to bring females into the beer category," said an ­industry insider.

The company described upcoming launch Amina a low-carbonated bottled beer that will be available in at least three variants ­including lemon and rosé as "the first credible range of beers for women".

Like Amina, new premium lager Carling Prime a bottled 4.8% abv beer that is gently carbonated with small, fine bubbles is also designed to prevent people feeling bloated. About 70% of Prime's distribution will be through the off-trade, The Grocer has learned.

The brewer will also be introducing 450ml limited-edition aluminium bottles for brands­ ­including Coors Light, Carling and Caffrey's. "The aluminium bottle ­format is also thought to reduce carbonation," ­explained the insider.

Another new product in the pipeline is 'pre-prohibition-style beer' Batch 19. Already available in the US, the ­lager is based on a recipe that dates back to before 1919.

"We recognise that now is the time to add value to our customers through beer innovation and get this category back on the front foot," said a Molson Coors spokesman.

Molson Coors will also revamp the core Carling brand as part of its 2011 ­activity, revealed the industry insider. "The aim of the ­rebrand seems to be to make Carling appear 'more British'," they said.

Sales of Carling have been static year-on-year at £344m, [Nielsen 52w/e 22 January 2011].

Read more
Molson Coors wants UK women to drink beer like the Irish (3 April 2010)

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