A collective of cider and perry makers has hit back at the claim by Herefordshire supplier Westons that the term ‘perry’ is dead.
Led by The Three Counties Cider & Perry Association (TCCPA), the group of suppliers has launched a new campaign to promote UK-produced perry.
The #PerryIsAlive push would encourage TCCPA members to “speak out about the importance, magic and vitality of perry”.
Directly referencing The Grocer’s interview with Westons head of business development Darryl Hinksman – in which Hinksman said Westons had turned its back on the descriptor to grow sales of its Vintage Pear cider – the TCCPA said: “To actively remove perry from labelling and marketing is to alienate and dilute consumers’ knowledge and appreciation of the agriculture, history, heritage and tradition that forms the UK and beyond.
“The move dismisses and endangers a vital part of our national identity and culture, and works to erase a drink that so many people are working tirelessly to champion and preserve for the enjoyment and enrichment of generations to come.”
UK cider and perry producers including Ross-on-Wye, Little Pomona and Oliver’s have all pledged their support to the new campaign.
Albert Johnson, chair of the TCCPA and director of Ross-on-Wye, said his own business was seeing strong demand for perry.
“We can’t produce perry fast enough to keep up with demand,” he said. “We buy as many perry pears as we get offered, but it still doesn’t keep up with the fantastic level of interest drinkers have in this most sustainable and historic of British drinks.”
Westons “couldn’t be more wrong” in its claim that perry was dead, insisted Little Pomona founder James Forbes.
“Given that the Westons factory is overlooked by perry pear trees so old they predate its existence, Hinksman’s views are particularly crass,” he said. “Such public statements from influential figures are damaging, undermining the amazing work done to promote the drink over the last few years.”
Tom Oliver, founder of Oliver’s Cider & Perry, added: “Just because perry presents poorly in terms of commerce does not mean it is dead. It just means that the world of commerce is out of sync with the world of perry.
“That may indeed be a good thing, because to belong to the more commercial approach brings so much compromise and loss of integrity that perry may well be better off out of it.”
Westons responds
A spokeswoman for Westons said the supplier was “committed to keeping the heritage of cider and perry making alive while also looking to the future”.
“We continue to make our Henry Westons Vintage Pear Cider in the traditional way, using perry pears from one year’s harvest,” they said. “We updated the name last year simply to help more consumers discover this historic drink – and we’ve been really encouraged to see growing interest in pear cider as a result.
“We have enormous respect for the growers and makers who continue to champion perry and the orchards that sustain it and are proud to play a part in sustaining that tradition.”
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