UK TRADE LEAD

As many of you are aware, the Brewers Association (BA) has established a strong relationship with Vertical Drinks, a UK-based craft beer importer.  Vertical Drinks already imports a number of brands from a selection of EDP members.  In the summer of 2010, Vertical Drinks and Brewers Association collaborated on a trade lead similar to this one. Vertical Drinks received fantastic feedback on the range and quality of products supplied.  Due to the demand from Vertical Drinks customers they would like to look at the possibility of a Winter and Summer selection of American craft beers.

Based on their knowledge of the American craft beer market in the UK, Vertical Drinks have recognized a multitude of sales opportunities for new-to-market American craft beer brands, particularly through the UK’s specialist retail shops and specialist beer bars. These beers would be sold to the company’s retail and on-premise accounts and sales will be assessed over time. Based on performance, follow-up orders may be placed.  At a minimum, this opportunity could provide some solid trade feedback to participating breweries about their products

Please note that there are no special labeling requirements for this shipment. Standard US labels are acceptable.

In the past two shipments there have been issues with payments from Vertical Drinks. This is due to the bank systems, both in the UK and the US, not finding accounts, routing banks etc. As Vertical Drinks wants to continue to do these special shipments they have come up with a new process to ensure payments.

•    BA sends out a trade lead as before
•    The breweries respond to the trade lead to the BA
•    The BA sends Vertical Drinks the selection of breweries, contacts, beers and prices FOB Boulder
•    Vertical Drinks send out a price list over here and get pre-orders from our customers
•    Vertical Drinks send the order quantities to each brewery and the BA
•    The breweries send Vertical Drinks an order confirmation and an invoice
•    Vertical Drinks arranges for an international cheque to be made out in US Dollars and will send it to the brewery before the brewery sends the beer to Boulder. No money! No beer!
•    Once payment has arrived the brewery will send the ordered beer to BA’s warehouse in Boulder
•    When all the beer is ready in Boulder Vertical Drinks will arrange collection and transport
•    Once the beer has been shipped out in the UK, Vertical Drinks will get feedback to each brewery

The BA has pledged to assist Vertical Drinks by publicizing this lead and compiling a list of interested EDP members that do not already have distribution in the UK and by consolidating the beer that is purchased at the BA’s warehouse in Boulder, Colorado from December 8-14, 2010. Vertical Drinks will review the list of breweries and their products with the company’s retail and on-premise accounts in order to determine final orders. Please note there is no guarantee that all products suggested for consideration will ultimately receive orders.  Accounts in the UK will be responsible for selecting the products they believe will be of greatest interest to consumers. 

If you do not presently have distribution in the UK and you wish to be considered for this export opportunity, please reply to Mark Snyder at mark@brewersassociation.org by Friday, November 19, 2010.

In your reply, please include:
•    Brewery Name
•    Brewery Address
•    List of beers you would like considered for sale to the UK (for each beer please provide beer name, style, alc.% by volume, volume of production, and FOB price from Boulder, Colorado)

Action:
Breweries interested in this trade lead should reply to Mark Snyder by Friday, November 19, 2010.

Note:
This trade lead is being issued to Export Development Program subscribers only – if you are not an Export Development Program Subcriber, please contact Mark Snyder today at mark@brewersassociation.org