Coors Brewers has launched a multi-million pound business to remove the gender imbalance that exists around beer consumption – and make beer a real choice for women.

In recognition of this imbalance, BitterSweet Partnership has been set-up to break down the barriers between women and beer. Run by women for women, it will gain insights from women throughout the country to start giving them what they want – from education programmes about the benefits of beer through to developing products designed specifically for their taste buds and initiatives to improve the serve and drinking experience. These insights will lead to new initiatives from BitterSweet and inform the way Coors brands engage with women in the future.

Currently women make up just 13% of UK beer sales, compared to 25% in North America and 36% in the Republic of Ireland. New research commissioned by BitterSweet Partnership shows that a third of UK women do enjoy drinking beer – but in the main these occasions are restricted to music and sporting events. Outside of these environments, women say they feel uncomfortable and embarrassed to order beer.

The ‘Love Beer’ study, based on research from more than 2,000 women across the UK, also revealed:

• Over half of women prefer wine to any other alcoholic drink choice – less than one in ten women (9%) said they prefer beer
• 42% think the industry should change its advertising first and foremost, if it’s to make beer more appealing to women – only a quarter (26%) said the taste should be altered
• Almost half of women (45%) believe they’ll put on weight if they start drinking beer
• Women like to order a drink that looks good – almost a third (30%),go for something that is served nicely, has the right image or is something that their friends drink
• There’s an imbalance between the information available about wine and information about beer. Around a quarter of women said that ‘they never know which type of beer to buy or order’
• Nearly a third (29%) of respondents, see women that drink beer as manly

Kirsty Derry, Managing Director, BitterSweet Partnership said; “The industry has for too long ignored and even alienated women - our job is to redress this balance. BitterSweet Partnership is here, first and foremost to listen to women, to dispel the many myths associated with beer, to develop products designed with the female palate in mind, and to change the buying and drinking experiences for them. We love beer, and we’re looking forward to the day when beer becomes an aspirational choice for women.”

In its promise to listen to women, BitterSweet Partnership has created a dedicated website, www.bittersweetpartnership.com, to collaborate with women and take on board their opinions and ideals around beer.

It has also formed the ultimate panel of experts, pulled from the world of fashion, lifestyle, media, beer and food, to act as an independent voice for women across the UK. Commentator Janet Street Porter, broadcaster Carol McGiffin, socialite Fran Cutler, chef Allegra McEvedy and fashion designer Amy Molyneaux all sit on the panel.
Janet Street Porter spoke of the initiative: "Beer's had a male image for too long and it's hard to think of another business where 50 per cent of the population is ignored."

Further opinions from the panel, on the subject of women and beer, can be found at www.bittersweetpartnership.com