Consumers and buyers give their views on the latest product launches

Product: Brothers ciders
Company: brothers drinks
The range includes a 7% abv Festival-strength Pear Cider, sold at the Glastonbury music festival for the past ten years, a 4.7% abv Pear Cider, a 4.7% Original Cider and a 4% abv Strawberry Mixed Pear Cider
Price: £1.59 per 500ml

Consumer's verdict
Declan McCartan, electronic engineer, 28, Belfast
I was impressed by the packaging of this range and could see myself being attracted to them on a hot summer's day.

My favourite was the 4.7% abv Pear Cider, but all the offerings were tasty. The stronger Festival-strength Pear Cider did not feel as if it was 7% abv, so you would have to be careful when drinking it.

The Strawberry Mixed Pear Cider was pleasant, but I think it is more likely to appeal to female consumers. In fact, the whole range is likely to be more appealing to women.

I would buy this myself, but not on a regular basis. 

Score: 19/25


Expert's verdict

Jonathan Butt, head of global sourcing thresher group
The packaging is a bit "tackville". The products would look more at home in a fairground setting. On opening the bottles, I was overwhelmed by aromas that I found a bit sickly.

The strawberry and pear version has added medicinal notes on the nose; the pear and apple versions were not to my taste.

I am afraid that this struck me as a low-quality offering.

Flavours are cheap, unmarried and it appears that additional sweetness has been added to cover up the flaws. What you get, then, is a syrupy sweet experience, which has you looking around for something classy to wash away the experience. 

Score: 0/25


TOTAL SCORE: 19/50