In the 12 weeks to 29 September 2024, volume sales of Badger PBAs grew by 51.6% compared to the same period in 2023 (Kantar), and against a 10% decline for the overall PBA category.
During that same period, the number of shopping trips where Badger ales were purchased increased by 12%, while consumers bought on average 37% more beer on these trips. Overall, 231,000 consumers bought Bader ales, an increase of 10%.
Sales growth for the brewer followed a major redesign for the brand in September 2023 after a comprehensive review of the Badger portfolio and in-depth consumer research by IGD. In a bid to make the brand stand out on the shelf, new designs featuring illustrations of wildlife characters were introduced to help the beers stand out on the PBA fixture.
‘Branch and root changes’
Giles Mountford, head of brand marketing for Badger Brewery, said: "Making root and branch changes to a much-loved brand like Badger wasn’t done lightly, but with the PBA category in long-term decline, we felt bold action was needed.
“The relaunch was anchored in consumer research. They told us the PBA sector was a ‘sea’ of similar-looking, old-fashioned labels without clear taste guidance, so we tackled that head on in the redesign. They also told us authenticity was important, so the characters on the bottles weren’t fabricated for the relaunch, they’ve always been part of the Badger story.
“By giving the beers a more contemporary feel, we’ve been able to capture some of the many consumers who drink across both the craft and PBA categories, but we’ve also retained our loyal Badger drinkers, many of whom are now purchasing more of their favourite beer.”
The relaunched PBA range features eight beers, each with its own wildlife character – including a boxing hare and a stoat pouring coffee, which appears on Master Stoat.
Stout boom
Launched at the same time as the range redesign, Master Stoat is riding the wave of the stout boom, with sales up 28% in the four weeks to 1 December 2024 – compared with the four weeks to the end of January in the same year.
“Although the PBA category overall is still in decline, the growth of Badger within it shows that a new approach can buck the trend,” Mountford continued. “While we’ve seen some commoditisation with the category, we believe there is still value in it, hence our significant investment. If other brewers now start to evolve their own brands, we could see a renewal of the PBA category.”
Meanwhile, A truck carrying 400 kegs of Guinness disappeared from a depot in Northamptonshire in the run up to Christmas.
As revealed by The Guardian, a lorry with a load equivalent to 35,200 pints of Guinness went missing from a logistics hub in Daventry midway through last month.
