Molson Coors is calling time on its female-friendly beer Animée after just a year on shelf.

The 4% abv lager, which was launched last September, was available in three flavours - Clear, Crisp Rosé and Zesty Lemon - and pitched as a lower carbonate beer that didn’t make drinkers feel bloated.

Despite £2m marketing activity including a outdoor ad push and sampling, Animée failed to win over its target female audience - sales were just £300,000 in its first four months on shelf.

The brewer has now axed the brand but stated it remained committed to innovation.

“Not all brands are successful in market and it’s important we invest in growing brands,” said a spokesman. “Animée was only one part of our plan to attract more female drinkers.”

Molson Coors said some of its other beers - including Coors Light, Corona and the limited-edition 2.8% abv Carling Zest it launched in March - already attracted a higher proportion of female drinkers.

Production of Animée has stopped, and retailers are believed to be running down existing stock. Tesco beer buyer Chiara Nesbitt said the retailer would delist the beer from November, adding that it had been bought by male and female shoppers.

In recent weeks, some Home Bargains stores have been selling Animée for 49p a bottle - it has previously sold at £4.99 for four bottles in supermarkets.

Animée had run the risk of patronising female beer drinkers, said Chris Wisson, senior drinks analyst at Mintel. “Animée differentiates itself from mainstream beers, something many female drinkers do not appear to want to see,” he said.

Lower-alcohol beer variants targeted at both men and women might be a better way of tapping into the female market, Wisson added.

Topics