Canning Vale specialist logistics player Growler Depot has acquired Beer Caddie, its key competitor in the craft brewing sector.
Canning Vale specialist logistics player Growler Depot has acquired Beer Caddie, its key competitor in the craft brewing sector.
Details of the deal were not disclosed, but Growler Depot said the number of breweries it serviced had risen from 40 to about 65 as the result of the deal, which was hatched just before Christmas.
Both companies were founded in the past decade and served the growing sector, providing cool storage of craft beer and its transport to retail outlets in Western Australia.
It is understood Growler Depot was previously owned by interests associated by major WA craft producer Beerfarm, while Beer Caddie had evolved from a mobile events bar started by Russell Howell.
Growler Depot managing director Tim Greaney led a management buyout of Growler Depot in late 2021 and has invested in an expanded footprint. Beerfarm general manager George Scott retained some equity and sits on the Growler Depot board.
At the time Mr Greaney took over the business, he said it had a small number of customers and the idea of keeping craft beer at low stable temperature for its lifetime was not the universally accepted practice it was rapidly becoming.
Mr Greaney said he believed the specialisation was unique in Australia and reflected the specific need of craft brewers, which needed to keep their beer at 3 degrees Celcius.
He said the craft brewing sector had grown rapidly in recent years and, as it became more competitive, consumers expected more quality control.
Growler Depot’s headquarters in Canning Vale has a 4,000 square metre warehouse with 1,500sqm of refrigerated area as well as a fleet of trucks.
The group’s customer base includes national players such as Stone & Wood and Balter, which move their produce to Perth via refrigerated train transport. Growler Depot stores and distributes the beer in WA. Beerfarm remains a customer.
“When I started drinking beer 20 years there were about three [craft beers] to choose from,” Mr Gearney said.
“There are now 30 per shelf.”
He said the need for end-to-end cold chain logistics reflected rising education of all parts of the sector about the need for better handling, as craft beers did not contain preservatives.
That included increasingly discerning consumers.
“Craft beer is moving towards that red wine kind of culture,” Mr Greaney said.
“People will spend $15 on a can and buy two instead of a bottle of wine.”
