A group of five New Zealand craft brewers will see their beers distributed in the UK for the first time, after appointing Instil Drinks as their UK agent.
The New Zealand Craft Beer Collective was formed last year by Tuatara, Renaissance, 8 Wired, Three Boys and Yeastie Boys breweries with the objective of promoting NZ craft beer in overseas markets. The deal with Instil, which is part of the Bibendum PLB Group, will initially see two beers from each brewery distributed in the UK.
Instil’s existing portfolio includes brands such as Crystal Head Vodka, Coopers Ales and 10 Saints Oak Aged Lager.
Yeastie Boys’ Stu McKinlay, who is the spokesman for the Collective, said the decision to appoint Instil had been a “no brainer for us as they tick all of our boxes,” adding “we want to work and invest together to build a category for top-end New Zealand beers in the UK and are very excited about what a company like Instil can offer us as a group.”
“We are very proud to be appointed agents for these great brands which represent a wide range of different styles and innovation within the craft beer industry,” said Mark Johnson, MD at Instil Drinks Co. “The Collective is a good fit with what we do and it will allow us to broaden our reach in the craft beer sector. The hype in the UK trade about New Zealand craft is totally justified; all you have to do is look at the awards that these breweries have won over the years to see this.”
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