Premiumisation is driving the cider category, in particular in the crafted sub-category where drinkers are seeking authentic brands.
Given the cost-of-living crisis, consumers are also looking for the best value products.
Apple ciders are still the most popular variant, although fruit ciders now make up around a third of the total market.
Sally McKinnon, Head of Marketing at Westons Cider, tells Wholesale Manager what advice she has for wholesalers to help them grow their sales.
All references The Westons Cider Report 2023 unless otherwise stated.
What is your background? How long have you been at Westons Cider and where did you work before that?
August will mark my ten-year anniversary with Westons Cider, where I’ve been Head of Marketing for the last five years. Prior to this, I held a number of marketing roles across businesses such as Reckitt Benckiser and Alpro. When I first joined Westons I was responsible for managing Stowford Press, our leading on-trade brand.
Tell us about your role. What is a typical day for you?
As Head of Marketing, my focus is centred upon developing our long-term brand strategies & ensuring that all of the marketing activity that we deliver is aligned to delivering category growth for our customers.
Our offices are based on the same site as the cider mill in the heart of Herefordshire’s beautiful countryside, so it’s always a joy heading in for the day. There’s a real sense of community here: we’ve been on the same site for more than 140 years, working alongside the Westons family and the rural community.
Can you give us an overview of the company’s brands?
At Westons Cider, our fifth-generation cider makers create a range of premium ciders to cater to all sectors of the market across the on and off-trade.
This includes our leading off-trade range Henry Westons. The best-selling variant in the range is Henry Westons Vintage (8.2%), which is the UK’s No 1 cider SKU*. The product is crafted from apples from a single year’s harvest & is accompanied by Henry Westons British Vintage, Henry Westons Cloudy Vintage, Henry Westons Organic and Signature Vintage amongst others, stocked nationwide.
Westons Cider also produces various other brands including Stowford Press, with classic Apple Cider and recently launched Dark Berries, as well as Low Alcohol.
What is the value of the UK cider market?
The UK cider market is in a fantastically strong position, now worth £2.95 billion –up 27% last year, with 705 million litres of cider purchased.
Over the last year, as the market has settled post-Covid, we’ve seen sales stabilise with the crafted sub-sector leading growth, taking the total off trade market value to £1.1bn with almost half of all households regularly adding cider to their baskets.
What trends are currently driving the cider category?
The trend for premiumisation in the cider category shows no signs of slowing. The crafted sub-category is the key for growth, with consumers responding enthusiastically to authentic brands producing delicious products, served with a sense of provenance.
And this ties in with shoppers looking for the best value products in the current economic climate – this doesn’t necessarily mean the cheapest, but quality ciders which provide an affordable treat.
We’re also seeing that while apple ciders are proving most popular with shoppers, fruit ciders have settled at around a third of the total market. The summer months are crucial for fruit cider sales, which tend to be far more seasonally reactive – so wholesalers should bear this in mind when replenishing their stocks.
What advice do you have for wholesalers to help them grow their sales?
The wholesale market is perfectly positioned to capitalise on the growing cider category. As the best profit opportunity for retailers lies in the crafted segment – with these ciders commanding an average of £1.05 more per litre – wholesalers should prioritise these products for their customers.
As the UK’s bestselling cider, stocking Henry Westons Vintage Cider is a no-brainer. Also available in 4 and 6 packs, our 500ml bottle is the real star performer in convenience channels (+9.3% YOY), with sales a staggering £12.1M ahead of the second-place product* – a sure ticket to success for all wholesalers looking to capitalise on the crafted cider market.
Cans continue be an important sector of the market, especially pint cans which allow drinkers to recreate the pub experience at home. For example, our pint can 4-pack of Stowford Press Apple Cider sells particularly well in convenience, up 10% year on year*.
How do you work with wholesalers to improve sales?
This summer, we’re running our biggest on-pack promotion ever for our Henry Westons range.
We know this promotion is proven to drive sales and consistently generates incredible customer engagement and this year we’re rolling it out across all retail channels.
The promotion is running until August and, over the four-month period, there are 11 million promotional bottles and multipacks available.
What marketing support does Westons have for the brand this year?
Our biggest ever on-pack promotion is supported by an outdoor media campaign to drive sales for retailers over the summer.
We’ll be running an advertising campaign for our hero brands, Henry Westons and Stowford Press, representing a multi-million-pound investment. Running from April to September, OOH advertising will be focused around high-footfall areas across the UK, reaching upwards of 30 million shoppers.
Why are bestsellers – such as Henry Westons Vintage – the number one product to stock?
Henry Westons brand is now worth £79.4M* and a bottle of our bestselling Henry Westons Vintage, the UK’s no.1 cider SKU, worth £58.5M, is now sold more than once every second*.
As a brand, Henry Westons is delivering on the most important category trends as crafted cider is growing increasingly popular year on year and characterises the authentic and traditional ciders which shoppers are drawn to.
Plus, as shoppers look for affordable luxuries – and are prepared to trade up for the right product –wholesalers would be wise to stock up with Henry Westons Vintage to capitalise on these trends and drive both value and volume sales.
Comments are closed.