Cider has been fighting its way out of a period of under investment which was in danger of leaving it behind the rest of the long drinks market. The two leading companies ­ Bulmers and Matthew Clark ­ have been locked in a battle to build share which was in danger of commoditising the sector. However, while not out of the woods, things are looking better. There is volume growth in the market and the key drivers of this are the leading brands. Bulmers put the value growth of its market leader Strongbow at 31% year on year, which would indicate that consumers are turning away from commodities and own label and going back to trusted names and the biggest casualties are probably the cheap, strong white ciders. The key marketing mechanics from the big two are extra free deals and price promotions. Bulmers has 50% extra free on its three key brands, Strongbow, Woodpecker and White Lightning. Matthew Clark has similar deals on Blackthorn and it is also boosting its production of pint cans across its range. This includes Gaymer's Olde English, Diamond White and Red C. That said, there still remains a big opportunity for niche players, such as Merrydown, Thatcher's and Aspall, to come up with quality offerings that appeal to discerning consumers looking for a traditional cider product. Top 10 cider brands by value Strongbow 18.5 White Lightning 7.2 Olde English 6.5 Scrumpy Jack 6 Woodpecker 5.8 Diamond White 5.1 Dry Blackthorn 4.3 Frosty Jack 3.3 Original 2.6 Black Oak 2 ACNielsen MAT to June 2000 {{Z SUPPLEMENTS }}

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