Tiger Export PTE , the global distributor of Tiger Beer, has reported encouraging growth for its in-flight pouring business in Asia-Pacific and Europe.

Tiger Export, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Asia Pacific Breweries , has benefited from the boom in low-cost air travel in both Asia and India, picking up listings with new carriers such as JetStar Asia. There has also been increased demand from existing customers such as Singapore Airlines, leading the company to try and improve global supply to in-flight accounts.

In Europe, Tiger Export has managed to secure its first major in-flight listing for Tiger beer with Irish national carrier Aer Lingus. The brand is also available on a limited number of bmi and MyTravel flights.

"We want to build on this [Aer Lingus listing]," said market development manager for Asia, Middle East and duty-free, Hoshang Mehta. "Tiger is positioned in Europe as a premium import and we are seeing fantastic results in our distribution and market coverage in domestic markets. "

Back in Asia, Tiger Export PTE is experiencing good growth with airport retailer DFS Group at Singapore Changi airport. "We offer DFS a complete portfolio of beers ranging from popular local premium to import premium brands," said Mehta.

"We are also going to be launching an exclusive hand-crafted range of beers there, which I believe will be a first in the industry."

Despite these promising developments, Mehta believes that too many travel-retail operators fail to see beer's potential.

"We think beer can be profitable, especially for import brands such as Tiger, and we wish that travel retail would be more open and experimental to try something beyond the ordinary.

"The same goes for airlines," he added. "Most seem to carry one to two beer brands only and the tender award is often given to the lowest-priced and most internationally available mainstream brands."