In the U.K., Molson Coors sees cider momentum

From MolsonCoors & Alex Parker:

Molson Coors’ cider brands in the U.K. are starting the summer strong.

Aspall Cyder, its nearly 300-year-old cidery in Suffolk, England, released Aspall Blush Cyder, a new brand for the on-trade, earlier this month. The super-premium fruit cider delivers the crisp, bittersweet flavor the brand is known for, along with a hint of blackberry. It also gives on-trade accounts a super-premium option to tap into the growing popularity of berry flavors, says Stuart Ayre, marketing controller for cider brands in the U.K.

“With Aspall Blush, we’re creating a bridge from core range of super-premium apple cider variants to the fruit cider space, combining the best of both,” he says. “We have a strong presence in the on-trade and we think Aspall Blush will continue to broaden Aspall’s appeal to new and current cider drinkers.”

Aspall is known for the distinct crisp and fresh taste that comes from a unique blend of apples. However, the blackberry infusion in Aspall Blush allows it to play in the popular fruit cider category, shoring up Aspall’s position as the top on-trade super-premium cider brand, according to Nielsen CGA data.

The launch follows a record year for Aspall, whose 2022 was boosted by solid sales in the on-trade and a particularly strong final quarter of the year. It’s grown share of the U.K.’s on-trade super-premium hard cider market by 19 points since 2019, where it now accounts for 65% of super-premium cider sales, according to total Great Britain on-trade CGA data.

Last spring, it kicked off a three-year, $16 million (£13 million) modernization project to make it more efficient and to increase production by nearly 60%, to 70 million pints of cider annually.

Meanwhile, Rekorderlig, a Swedish cider produced by Åbro Bryggeri, which Molson Coors distributes and sells in the U.K., is looking to make a splash with a new ad showing the brand’s lighter side.

The ad, “Be A Little Fruktig,” aims to build on the strong growth Rekorderlig saw in 2022, including retaining its position as the U.K.’s no. 1 premium fruit cider in the on-trade, according to Nielsen CGA data, Ayre says. The ad, he says, “celebrates individuality and encourages people to be a little ‘fruktig’” – which means “fruity” in Swedish.

“We are doing something different, showing that the Rekorderlig brand is refreshingly light hearted,” he says. “It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and it delivers the fruit cider flavors U.K. adult drinkers are looking for.”

The ad began airing across TV, digital and out-of-home channels earlier this month.

Both cider brands are primed to continue their momentum, Ayre says.

“These are two great brands with great stories and provenance,” he says. “More drinkers are seeking out flavor and premium quality, and they’re finding that in Aspall and Rekorderlig.”