Cobra Beer - History

History

Cobra Beer was founded in 1989 by Karan Bilimoria, then aged 27 and £20,000 in debt. A Cambridge law graduate and qualified Chartered Accountant, Bilimoria launched Cobra Beer when it became clear to him that Britain needed a smoother, less gassy lager that appealed to both ale drinkers and lager drinkers alike, and that complemented all types of cuisines. The first shipment of Cobra was imported in the UK in 1990, at the start of a recession.

From the mid-1990s it was brewed under contract by Charles Wells Ltd.

Business losses accelerated in 2007 with total losses for the trading year to August 2007 reaching £13.6m on an annual turnover of around £45m. The business is approximately £26 million in debt and has borrowings from venture capitalists attracting interest at daily compound rate of 15%.

Cobra has though continued to accelerate its sales growth in recent years. Most recently, Cobra's half year sales figures for the period from 1 August 2008 - 31 January 2009 showed growth in volume terms of 21% . And this was achieved against the backdrop of the UK beer market which declined by around 8% in the last quarter of 2008.

It is this strategy of growing sales, instead of concentrating on the "bottom line" which may have caused the company's financial problems. On Friday 29 May 2009 the company went into administration, owing an estimated £75 million to suppliers.

In June 2011 it was reported that Molson Coors had purchased a 51% stake in Cobra India, which will be named as Molson Coors Cobra India. The remaining 49% of the venture will be controlled by Cobra founder Bilimoria.