Bulmers is looking to build on its success in flavoured cider with two new lines.

In March, Heineken-owned Bulmers will be rolling out 4% abv Bold Black Cherry and Pressed Red Grape flavours following a 405% year-on-year increase in sales of the brand’s flavoured No 17 cider [Nielsen 52 w/e 13 October 2012]. To coincide with the launch, Bulmers is rebranding No 17 as Crushed Red Berries & Lime, although the overall look of the packaging is unaltered.

The £16.5m rise in the value of No 17 was the second-largest increase in the off-trade cider market last year, after a £30m hike in sales of AB InBev’s Stella Cidre.

Flavoured ciders are the fastest-growing part of the overall cider market, which is up 5.3% by value but down 2.1% by volume. Other flavoured ciders in strong growth include Kopparberg and Rekorderlig.

Bulmers has predicted 80% of incremental growth in the category will come from flavoured cider by 2015.

“Genuine innovation is crucial to maintaining sales and momentum in cider and flavoured cider has been a key driver of this success,” said Heineken off-trade sales director Martin Porter.

Marketing for the new products - in single 568ml bottles and six-packs - include TV ads.

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