Fosters was founded in Melbourne in 1886 by two American brothers, William and Ralph Foster, who happened to own a refrigeration plant, which was necessary to brew beer in Australia's hot climate. Foster's Lager uses the slogan "The Amber Nectar" in Australia. While popular in many countries, particularly where it is brewed locally, Foster's Lager does not enjoy widespread popularity in Australia by any means. It struggles to compete with a large number of other "local beers" (low-cost and mass-produced varieties) usually depending on state, for example XXXX, Carlton Draught, Tooheys, Coopers, West End, Swan, Emu Bitter or Victoria Bitter.

