Smaller producers are starting to find supermarket buyers surprisingly receptive to their artisan and locally produced beers and ciders. Aspall Cyder is among them.
"Our volumes in grocery are up by 30% over the year to May," says Aspall Cyder's Geoff Bradman. "Our growth in grocery is down to distribution increases. The year before last we typically would have Premier Cru and one other SKU in distribution. Now we've got Premier Cru, Perronelle's Blush and one of our other two."
Traditional cider producer Westons has also seen increased interest from retail. A number of Westons products are already stocked in supermarkets, but this month it launches a bottled version of its bestselling draught cider Stowford Press that's already gained listings.
The 500ml bottles (rsp: £2.01) go into Morrisons later this month, followed by Waitrose the launch will be supported by an ad campaign that promotes its regional origins.
"We've geared our marketing campaigns to highlight the regional nature of our products," says trade marketing manager Heather Mead. "The advertising will be focused on Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire, because that's our heartland."
However, Hepworth brewery in West Sussex, which makes a range of traditional beers and lagers, counsels local brewers against assuming a deal with a supermarket will generate huge volumes. "One eight-bottle case of beer per store per week on a national basis represents a good sale for us," says owner Andy Hepworth. He adds that smaller brewers should not neglect local retailers, which are often more competitive.
Focus On Beer & Cider
"Our volumes in grocery are up by 30% over the year to May," says Aspall Cyder's Geoff Bradman. "Our growth in grocery is down to distribution increases. The year before last we typically would have Premier Cru and one other SKU in distribution. Now we've got Premier Cru, Perronelle's Blush and one of our other two."
Traditional cider producer Westons has also seen increased interest from retail. A number of Westons products are already stocked in supermarkets, but this month it launches a bottled version of its bestselling draught cider Stowford Press that's already gained listings.
The 500ml bottles (rsp: £2.01) go into Morrisons later this month, followed by Waitrose the launch will be supported by an ad campaign that promotes its regional origins.
"We've geared our marketing campaigns to highlight the regional nature of our products," says trade marketing manager Heather Mead. "The advertising will be focused on Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire, because that's our heartland."
However, Hepworth brewery in West Sussex, which makes a range of traditional beers and lagers, counsels local brewers against assuming a deal with a supermarket will generate huge volumes. "One eight-bottle case of beer per store per week on a national basis represents a good sale for us," says owner Andy Hepworth. He adds that smaller brewers should not neglect local retailers, which are often more competitive.
Focus On Beer & Cider
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