Tap King has officially been discontinued and Lion will offer compensation to consumers who purchased a dispenser.
The move to axe the format entirely comes after Lion last year deleted classic beers from the range, which in July last year became limited to just a few James Squire beers.
Consumers who are inundating the Tap King Facebook page with their complaints have been instructed by Lion to contact the company direct.
While it has not been publicly announced, the company is reportedly offering a $30 Visa Gift Card to aggrieved consumers who do get in touch and return their dispenser by way of a satchel supplied to them by Lion.
Presuming that all 70,000 of Tap King’s Facebook fans did just that, reimbursements and other costs could run well into the millions, adding further expense to the ambitious project.
Filling the Tap King bottles required Lion to install a dedicated hi-tech production line at the Tooheys brewery in Lidcombe, which occupied a space the size of the football field.
“Ultimately sales have not met our expectations and we have chosen to focus our resources on our core portfolio and maintaining the most efficient supply chain possible,” Lion said in a statement.
“We recognise this will disappoint our loyal Tap King fans, and we will be communicating the decision to them proactively today.”
Surprisingly it took them this long to recognise that it would never work in Australia, what with such limitations on supply and demand.
They have similar dispensing system on a larger scale in Europe. Though they have a lot more freedom with alcohol sales, albeit off licensing available.
A great idea, but maybe should have looked into more beers available or did some made to order?
Not at all surprised considering it was more expensive per ml than bottled beer and you had to invest in a dispenser.
What’s with the st ligature? If it’s at my end then I’m viewing this in Chrome on Android.
Can you send us a screengrab of what you’re seeing?
can i get a refund i brought 2 tap king Dispencers can you send me a bag to send them both back to you i only just found out last night you werent making them anymore cheers emma lee……18/10/16
Contact Lion, the brewer. We have nothing to do with Tap King.
cost more in freight to send the unit back then the refund you are offering.
thanks for nothing.
Yay, I bought 5, 1 for myself and presents for mates birthdays, a real shock, they should have gone Aussie and sucked it up.
Was enjoying tapking. … yes I have the dispenser…
Wasn’t aware of the discontinue
Just thought few and far between where stockists as not all the outlets I frequent stocked them from the beginning
As you could expect not really happy
Another promoted item that requires accessories that are not cheap, that turn people – not me – away from the idea
I don’t know why this was kept so relatively quiet…
It all just vanished
Andrew
[email protected]
Very disappointing now that I have a useless Tap King dispenser. Bought by my wife as a birthday present.
I have a Tap King dispenser and would like to return it for a refund. Very disappointed.
Have been trying to purchase refills ……..now know why no stock anywhere . Does anyone know if still doing $30 reimbursements and how to contact lion / tap king ?
Hi Alanna, you’d have to contact Lion direct, but I seriously doubt they are still doing reimbursements as it was discontinued ages ago. Cheers
While it has not been publicly announced, the company is reportedly offering a $30 Visa Gift Card to aggrieved consumers who do get in touch and return their dispenser by way of a satchel supplied to them by Lion.
*** Refund period has expired in 2016 – might wish to take this off your website – so you stop getting ppl posting on your wall ”
” Lion offered a 6 month reimbursement period to affected consumers from 20 January 2016 to 20 July 2016. The reimbursement period has closed. ”
As I called the company directly – they don’t have a tap king team anymore either.
Not good enough! Their marketing = their responsibility. Time line 2 months! people have lives! what a ripoff!!!!
Huge ripoff cost of dispenser, bulk beer dearer than normal packaged beer cans or bottles. Company makes killing on dispensers then it disappeared. Who knew it was going and there was a possibility of refund on dispenser.