Thatchers wins Grocer Gold Award after overtaking Strongbow

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Thatcher's Cider

Winner: Thatchers Cider

While the broader cider category has struggled in recent years, Thatchers delivered 9% value sales growth in 2025, leapfrogging Strongbow to become the biggest cider brand in the off-trade for the first time.

It was just reward for an independent producer that has been making cider the authentic way for more than a century. Growth has been delivered through bold innovation and eye-catching ATL marketing, helping grow household penetration and market share.

Recognising the need to attract new drinkers to cider, Thatchers threw its weight behind Juicy Apple, the sweeter, apple-led cider it debuted in 2024. An Aardman campaign for the tipple reached 73% of UK adults and helped propel Juicy Apple to rank among the top 15 biggest ciders across the total off-trade.

Meanwhile, greater investment in and format focus on Thatchers Zero helped it retain its title of the UK’s bestselling low & no cider. Sales of the 0% abv drink have more than doubled, with the product also becoming the first low & no cider to feature in TV advertising. At the same time, spotting renewed demand for authentic apple ciders, Thatchers also launched its Vintage cider in a convenient can format.

Beyond NPD and innovation, Thatchers also pumped nearly £20m into infrastructure improvements including an automated warehouse and new canning line. The outlay has tripled production capacity and improved efficiency at its Somerset production hub. It also planted nearly 15,000 new apple trees in a regeneratively farmed orchard in April, setting itself up for future success.

Sustainability was also a key focus in the past year, with Thatchers installing heat capture technology to warm its offices and nearby pub The Railway Inn. The move saved enough energy to heat 40 homes for a year, Thatchers said. Meanwhile, the business continues to capture CO2 produced during fermentation to carbonate its ciders.

Judges praised Thatchers for its performance in a category dominated by deeper-pocketed multinationals, as well as its commitment to quality, sustainability and innovation.

“This is a business that’s firing on all cylinders,” they said.