Budweiser Brewing Group and PerfectDraft look to expand community store programme

The Community Store Programme will allow convenience stores to take advantage of the demand for PerfectDraft whilst benefitting from a range of offers.

The PerfectDraft beer dispenser is a way for consumers to turn their kitchen into a bar. It allows beer drinkers to have fresh, chilled bar-quality, draught beer in the comfort of their own homes.​​

PerfectDraft started as a direct-to-consumer business, but now Budweiser Brewing Group is allowing retailers to stock up on the machines as well as the full range of kegs to provide consumers an elevated at-home beer occasion with the simplicity of an in-store shopping experience.

With 61% of beer drinkers preferring a draft pint over any other format, Budweiser Brewing Group said retailers can tap into the growing opportunity.

Through the Community Store Programme, Budweiser Brewing Group and PerfectDraft have partnered with local convenience stores to offer machines.

Through the programme, Budweiser Brewing Group said convenience store customers can boost consumer experience and brand engagement by enabling shoppers to pick up and return kegs to local neighbourhood shops.

Budweiser Brewing Group has the ambition for PerfectDraft to be available for consumers who want to enjoy draught beer anywhere and for the kegs to be returnable to its partners across the whole of the off trade.

“This year we have been scaling our PerfectDraft Community Store Network to offer customers more destinations to buy and return kegs from. We are now at 400 stores nationwide,” said Nandini Mazumdar, head of omnichannel, PerfectDraft, AB InBev.

“These stores allow customers a more convenient way of returning and purchasing kegs, especially on occasions where customers don’t have time for us to deliver online orders. For stores, it boosts recurring sales and drives footfall.

“We’ve seen a real success with our PerfectDraft offering and Community Store Programme. We know a large number of consumers prefer draft beer, and the Community Store Programme has made it even easier to get the same pub-like experience at home.”

“We’re always working with our customers to see how we can improve sales, and we’re confident that PerfectDraft will continue to make its way into more homes around the UK.”

Budweiser Brewing Group and PerfectDraft are looking to partner with stores that:

• Own an independently run convenience store or corner shop between 2,000 – 4,000 sq. ft., located in a busy area of their local town/city
• Can order at least one pallet of PerfectDraft products (a pallet consists of 120 kegs split into four layers of 30 kegs each, any of which can be swapped out for a layer of six machines)
• Can collect empty kegs from customers (and offer credit towards their next PerfectDraft purchase) to be returned to PerfectDraft (for next-day reimbursement)
• Are willing to work with the brewer in launching marketing campaigns and offering promotions and deals to consumers

Anyone interested in getting involved can click here for more information.