With growing share and a new leader, Molson Coors Canada is on a roll

From Molson Coors &  Nick Kindelsperger,

When Chantalle Butler was named president of Molson Coors Canada in April, she stepped into the position as the region was on a roll.

“We have what we believe is the best portfolio in the industry and winning brands in all segments,” says Butler, an Ontario native who had previously served as vice president of finance for Molson Coors Canada since 2019. “We also have a clear portfolio strategy, so each brand has a role within their segment and in the total portfolio.”

Butler’s promotion comes at a time when Molson Coors’ Canadian business is growing, outpacing industry trends in Canada and seeing gains across its core, above premium and flavour brands. In the first quarter of 2024, Molson Coors’ brands outpaced the industry in Canada, gaining share and growing overall brand volume by 3.6%, driven by growth among its above-premium brands, the company reported in its first-quarter earnings statement.

That’s on top of growth in 2023 that saw it increase its share of overall business by 2 points, more than any other brewer in the country.

And in the on-premise, it grew more share than any major brewer in the country in 2023.

“We have grown share not just in every province but in every sales territory across the country,” says Butler. “We don’t see any signs of letting up. We have strategic consistency and our commercial teams are all pulling in the same direction.”

Leading with the core

Coors Light became Canada’s No. 1 light beer in March of 2023 and the is now the No. 1 brand in the on-premise and the No. 1 beer brand in Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, according to Beer Canada

The Molson family of brands – which includes Molson Canadian, Export, Ultra and Exel – has also seen a resurgence. Last year, the brand trademark grew share and revenue in Canada for the first time in many years, attributing its recent run of success, in part, to the “Everyone In” campaign that launched in 2023.

In April, Molson Canadian continued the popular campaign with new programming around helping people “find their backyard.” And it’s continued to resonate with hockey fans, as the official beer sponsor of five NHL teams in Canada. Its “See My Name” campaign with the PWHL won accolades, as well.

‘Excepcional’ above premium wins

The company is also finding success with other parts of its portfolio.

While it’s still early, Madrí Excepcional, a Spanish-style lager that launched in Canada earlier this year, is off to a promising start. It’s been the U.K.’s fastest-growing beer brand since launching across the pond in 2020, and Molson Coors is optimistic about the response in Canada, Butler says.

Madrí Excepcional launched in Canada with heavy backing, including TV and digital spots, along with “transit takeovers,” where Madrí Excepcional ads were put up across public transit systems in Vancouver and Montreal.

According to the most recent internal data, Madrí Excepcional is already in 7,000 retail accounts and 2,000 on-premise accounts.

“We are excited to see exactly how far we can take that brand,” says Butler.

Miller Lite, which is an above-premium brand in Canada, is continuing the hot streak that we covered two years ago, notching four years of double-digit growth. In the fourth quarter of 2023, it grew volume sales by 57% versus the prior year.

Growing in flavour

Molson Coors was the only major brewer to grow share of the flavour segment in Canada in Q1 of this year, according to Beer Canada.

According to Patrick D’Anjou, vice president of retail sales, brands like Coors Seltzer, Simply Spiked and AriZona Hard Tea are doing well for several reasons.

“Our portfolio is resonating with the Canadian consumer,” says D’Anjou. “In terms of execution, we’re winning in space and in placement. That’s because we have a strong partnership with our customers. They believe in our capability to make their business grow.”

Butler says that instead of trying to sell as many brands as possible, the company is focusing on a few key brands. “When it comes to innovation, it needs to be meaningful and purposeful,” says Butler. “Gone are the days of throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks.”

Maintaining the momentum

With a background steeped in finance, Butler pays a lot of attention to the numbers. But finance has also allowed Butler, the first woman president of Molson Coors Canada, to see the importance of every aspect of the business.

“Over the years, I’ve learned the importance of people, processes and technology, and how those three things work together to add value to the business and to ensure that we’re operating as efficiently as possible,” she says.

“We like to call it our magic sauce, which is the culture here. When everyone works together and create a bigger synergy than we believe any of our competitors.”

And Butler says the key to maintaining momentum for Molson Coors’ Canadian business is simple: stick with what’s working.

“We have the results that we believe prove our strategy is paying off," she says.