German beer brand Krombacher backed up its best ever year in the UK On-Trade in 2022 with 90 new permanent draught installs in 2023. And its Hell Lager, Unfiltered, Dark Lager, and Weizen kegs saw combined volume growth of 37% year on year.
The proud family-run brewery, whose beers have been imported into the UK since the mid-1980s, continues to prioritise the on-trade. It aims to put taste, authenticity, and provenance first.
Krombacher UK invested heavily in marketing in 2023. There was a PR campaign, a series of Krombacher Social events, advertising, bespoke on-trade support, increased digital activity, and a social media campaign to specifically promote on-trade customers.
“In a competitive UK market and in challenging times, it’s been another hugely positive year for Krombacher,” said Stephen Kofler, its director of sales and marketing in the UK and Ireland.
“With many of the so-called ‘international’ lagers being brewed in the UK and spending no real time being lagered to develop flavour, I think there has been a growing consensus among the quality drinkers towards German beers and the different historic beer styles the country offers. This can be seen in the increased interest for our Hells, Unfiltered, and Dark lagers.”
With Krombacher Pils retaining the top spot when it comes to market share in Germany (increased to a record level of more than 11% in 2023), the brewery’s iconic Pils continues to be its biggest volume line in the UK.
It was the Krombacher Hells, Unfiltered Lager, Dark Lager, and Weizen, though, that saw the strongest interest in 2023, with the combined keg volume growing by 37% against 2022.
The brand’s low/no portfolio, including 0.0% Pils and non-alcoholic Weizen, have also continued to take market share, with sales growing by 11% in 2023 against 2022.
