blossom hill new look

Treasury Wine Estates has given Blossom Hill Fruit Bloom a ‘complete’ overhaul to stir things up in the Echo Falls dominated fruit wine aisle.

The revamp of the three-strong portfolio, which marks the first activity for the sub-brand since TWE acquired it from Diageo in December last year, will see the year-old trio renamed Spritz in a nod to the brand’s sparkling credentials. In addition, the current Elderflower and Summer Fruits variants will be renamed Elderflower & Lemon and Raspberry & Blackcurrant, while labels have been redesigned with a fruit focus.

Rolling out early next year, the rebrand marked the first step in TWE’s ambition to carve out a bigger name for itself in the fruit wine category, which is overshadowed by Accolade’s £56m Echo Falls Fruit Fusions launched in 2014 [Nielsen MAT to 8 October 2016].

The recipes remain unchanged for the sub-brand, which won two golds and a silver award in the fruit wine categories at the The Grocer Drink Awards (TGDAs) where it was up against the brand leader.

The rebrand signalled the start of Blossom Hill Spritz becoming a “focal point of investment”, Caroline Thompson-Hill, head of marketing for Blossom Hill UK Western Europe, told The Grocer. “We are now well-placed to take our leadership position in the US wine category forward into the fruit wine segment.

Alex Ririe, managing partner of strategic development at Coley Porter Bell, said the changes put Blossom Hill Spritz in a “great position to fill a clear gap in the market.These fruit-based drinks are often seen as pretty cloying and too sweet for many adult palates. The Blossom Hill Spritz name and design is much fresher, lighter and more sophisticated.” Nicholas Gill, founder of Team Eleven, said ‘Spritz’ would shake off the brand’s “naff 70s image”.