Cobra Beer
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| Type | Beer company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Brewing |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Founder(s) | Karan Bilimoria |
| Headquarters | Fulham, South London, UK |
| Area served | UK India |
| Key people | Mark Hunter, CEO of Molson Coors |
| Products | Cobra 5% Premium Beer Cobra 0.0% Cobra Lower Cal King Cobra Cobra Bite |
| Net income | Unknown |
| Website | www.cobrabeer.com |
Cobra Beer's main product is an extra-smooth premium beer with an alcohol strength of 5% volume. The beer was founded in 1989 by Karan Bilimoria,[1] who thought that Britain needed a smoother, less gassy lager, which would appeal to both ale drinkers and lager drinkers alike.[1] A blend of barley, rice, maize and hops was used to produce the required characteristics.[1]
In June 2011 Molson Coors bought a controlling interest in Cobra.[2]
The beer was originally brewed in Bangalore, India (now Bengaluru), for export to the United Kingdom; the company now has contract brewing operations in the UK, Belgium and India.
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[edit] History
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This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2011) |
Cobra Beer was founded in 1989 by Karan Bilimoria,[1] then aged 27 and £20,000 in debt.[1] A Cambridge law graduate and qualified Chartered Accountant, Bilimoria launched Cobra Beer when it became clear to him that Britain needed a smoother, less gassy lager that appealed to both ale drinkers and lager drinkers alike, and that complemented all types of cuisines. Karan's mission from day one has been to brew the finest ever Indian beer and to make it a global beer brand. The first shipment of Cobra was imported in the UK in 1990, at the start of a recession.[1]
The beer was originally planned to be named 'Panther', but this name was not popular when researched with customers prior to launch and was changed to 'Cobra' at the eleventh hour. By way of introduction by Arjun's uncle Keshow Reddy, the two founders were introduced to Mysore Breweries in India, who were the original brewers of Cobra beer.
Cobra was first brewed in Bangalore (now Bengaluru) in 1990 and imported to the UK for seven years. In 1997 Cobra commenced brewing under licence with Charles Wells (now Wells & Young's) in the UK. The brewery now make use of this recipe to produce Mongoose beer, which is sold with a picture of a Mongoose eating a dead cobra on its label.[3]
In 2005, Cobra Beer was stocked in over 6,000 restaurants and in most major supermarkets and off licence chains in the UK. Cobra Beer has also increased its presence mainstream retail outlets and is available in nearly 6,000 pubs, style bars and clubs. Now one of the fastest growing beer brands in the UK, having been exported to more than 45 countries worldwide, and with subsidiaries in India, South Africa and the US.
Business losses accelerated in 2007 with total losses for the trading year to August 2007 reaching £13.6m on an annual turnover of around £45m. The business is approximately £26 million in debt and has borrowings from venture capitalists attracting interest at daily compound rate of 15%.[4]
Cobra has though continued to accelerate its sales growth in recent years. Most recently, Cobra's half year sales figures for the period from 1 August 2008 - 31 January 2009 showed growth in volume terms of 21% .[5] And this was achieved against the backdrop of the UK beer market which declined by around 8% in the last quarter of 2008.
It is this strategy of growing sales, instead of concentrating on the "bottom line" which may have caused the company's financial problems. On Friday 29 May 2009 the company went into administration, owing an estimated £75 million to suppliers.[6]
In June 2011 it was reported that Molson Coors had purchased a 51% stake in Cobra India, which will be named as Molson Coors Cobra India. The remaining 49% of the venture will be controlled by Cobra founder Bilimoria.[2]
[edit] Products
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This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2010) |
Currently, Cobra produces three varieties of beer:
- Cobra 5.0% Premium
- Cobra Zero %
- King Cobra
[edit] Cobra 5.0% Premium
A blend of barley malt and yeast with maize, hops and rice with 5% abv. It comes in three sizes; 660 ml and 330 ml bottles, as well as 500ml cans and on draught.
The ingredients of cobra beer are water, barley, rice, maize, hops, E150c, modified hops products.
[edit] Cobra Zero%
Cobra Zero% is an alcohol-free beer, with 6.5 grams of carbohydrates and 79 calories per 330ml bottle. It is full-flavoured and well-rounded with a hint of sweetness. It is known as ‘the Cobra for when you can’t have a Cobra’. It has been awarded a Gold Medal by Monde Selection in 2010.
[edit] King Cobra
The world’s first double fermented lager with 8% abv, King Cobra is presented in a Champagne-style bottle and available in 750 ml and 375 ml sizes. Monde Selection's jury members have also awarded King Cobra, by a Grand Gold Medal in 2010.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f "COBRA - Indian Lager Beer". TheDrinkShop.com. 2010-03-02. http://www.thedrinkshop.com/products/nlpdetail.php?prodid=3680&afwinid=90909. Retrieved 2010-10-03.
- ^ a b "Molson Coors buys 51% stake in Cobra". The Times of India. 24 June 2011. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-24/india-business/29698944_1_cobra-beer-katyal-family-stake. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
- ^ Nelson, Larry (07-05-2010). "Exclusive: Mongoose bites Cobra". http://www.brewersguardian.com/brewing-features/marketing/868.html. Retrieved November 26, 2011.
- ^ Source: Annual Report and Accounts posted with Companies House in May 2008
- ^ source: ACNielsen 2009
- ^ Goodman, Matthew (2009-05-31). "Cobra beer saved from administration at last gasp". The Times (London). http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article6395535.ece. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
[edit] Further reading
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This article's further reading may not follow Wikipedia's content policies or guidelines. Please improve this article by removing excessive, less relevant or many publications with the same point of view; or by incorporating the relevant publications into the body of the article through appropriate citations. (October 2010) |
- Bilimoria, Karan (2007). Bottled for business : the less gassy guide to entrepreneurship. Capstone Publ. Ltd. (a Wiley Company). ISBN 978-1-84112-726-2.
