THE pride of the green can has been salvaged. Latest brewing industry figures show that VB has regained its crown as Australia's biggest selling beer, knocking off Queensland interloper XXXX Gold which took the No.1 position in May last year after decades of dominance by VB.
Latest Nielsen figures show that VB has a 12.2 percent market share of the off-premise beer market against 11.9pc for XXXX Gold.
VB overtook XXXX Gold some time between December and February as the nation's most popular beer and follows from the beer's relaunch late last year under new owner SABMiller which saw VB's alcohol content put back to 4.9pc from 4.6pc and a new advertising campaign. In the three months to Christmas VB sales by volume rose 2pc.
It's been a long road back to growth for the iconic beer. VB had a national market share of 25pc in 2000 but that declined every month for the next ten years.
Advertisement Nielsen figures show that VB's percentage of the total beer market hit 11.7pc in the quarter to February, just beating out XXXX Gold at 11.6pc.
In May last year XXXX Gold from Queensland officially became the nation's biggest-selling brew. At the time XXXX's mid-strength beer commanded 12.4pc of beer consumed in Australia. VB was on 12.3pcent.
XXXX Gold is owned by Lion, part of Japanese conglomerate Kirin.
Foster's used to own VB before it was itself swallowed by London-based SABMiller.
Earlier this month it was revealed Foster's would axe Victoria Pale Lager, which was sold in an embossed VB stubby-shaped green bottle, to be the first label to be discontinued since the brewer was taken over by global brewing giant SABMiller more than a year ago.
The decision by SABMiller to dump Victoria Pale Lager was done in part to focus on its core beer brands such as VB and help return it to its historic growth rates.
* VB brewed at Carlton's Yatala brewery on the Gold Coast was named the Royal Queensland Show's grand champion beer for 2013.
