Former AC Milan footballer Marconi Albuquerque (second from right) and his team from Oceania Group are distributing Moa in Brazil.

A former AC Milan footballer is helping Brazil become a major growth market for craft beer brewer Moa.

Moa has traditionally focused on New Zealand, Australia, the United States and Asian markets but Brazil has become a star performer for New Zealand's only NZX-listed brewer.

Moa chief executive Geoff Ross said so far seven shipping containers carrying 200,000 bottles of Moa have been exported to Brazil.

Moa's first exported to Brazil in 2012 but demand was now gathering pace with four containers sent since May.

And the firm can thank former AC Milan footballer Marconi Albuquerque for the sales growth in what is South America's most populous country.

Albuquerque's company, Oceania Group, acts as the Brazilian distributor for Moa.

"He's hiring some young sales guys to hit the streets and he's getting some good wins," Ross said.

Ross said Albuquerque was well connected and well funded.

It was almost bemusing when the first container was sent to Brazil, he said.

"But when it turned into seven containers it got our attention and we realised it was a proper distribution relationship."

Moa had granted Albuquerque the rights to trade as Moa Brazil giving him greater credibility when selling to customers, Ross said.

Albuquerque said he discovered Moa while living in New Zealand.

After moving back to his homeland of Brazil and seeing the growth of the craft beer market there he identified an opportunity to sell Moa, particularly in the capital Rio de Janeiro, he said.

"Brazil has a fascination with New Zealand, with so few New Zealand brands in Brazil," Albuquerque said.

The craft beer segment in Brazil was expected to grow from 1.5 per cent to 5 per cent of total beer sales by 2020 and Brazil was the third largest consumer of beer in the world, Albuquerque said.

Brazilian supermarket sales had driven the growth, with Moa being sold in high end chains Zona Sul and Super Prix, he said.

Bars in beach destinations Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon were also serving Moa.

Ross said Moa's Breakfast Beer had proven the most popular drop because it was a refreshing brew during the heat of the day.

The Reserve Range and South Pacific IPA were also selling well, he said.

Moa is also the official beer of the New Zealand Olympic team for Rio 2016 and will be the exclusive beer sponsor at the New Zealand Club in the Sheraton Hotel.

The New Zealand Club would be where the New Zealand Olympic Committee host VIPs and dignitaries and where athletes would carry out official media duties and interviews, Ross said.

Moa was the beer of the New Zealand Olympic team for the London 2012 Olympics, the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and Sochi Winter Olympics.



In London it took more than 21,000 bottles of Moa to Kiwi House.

Ross said Australia was still the company's largest export market but Brazil was closing in on that.

"It's not going to be far away if it keeps going like this.



"We see it building, especially through to the Olympics next year."



Ross said it was not until Albuquerque approached Moa to discuss a distribution deal that Brazil became a likely growth export market for the company.

"It was never a target so yes it has come as a surprise."