Brothers Cider pioneers recyclable and re-sealable drinks carton
Cider-maker Brothers has pioneered the industry’s first recyclable and re-sealable drinks carton as an innovative way of targeting the growing festivals and outdoor events market.
The 1L combifit cartons, which also help reduce glass and can consumption amongst cider drinkers, will be launched in Tesco stores from September 2016 with a full launch expected in spring 2017 ahead of the new summer events season.
Brothers has chosen to launch its new product using a delicious still English apple flavour which will satisfy more than 50 per cent of cider drinkers who cite apple as their flavour of choice. The cartons of ‘Festival Apple’ will be made from 100 per cent English apples and will fill a gap in the market for portable, shareable and sustainable alcoholic drinks.
Matthew Showering, one of four brothers who own and manage Brothers Cider, commented: “We’re always looking at ways of evolving the business and innovating to meet the needs of a growing population of cider drinkers. We think there’s a real opportunity to offer consumers a lightweight, portable option for alcoholic drinks - much like you’d find for soft drinks - that can be shared amongst friends and sealed back up. The way we drink cider hasn’t changed for a number of years so we wanted to be at the forefront of something new by adding another dimension to how and where people consume our drinks.”
A recent Mintel report shows that the increasing all-year-round appeal of cider has been one of the driving forces behind strong cider sales over the last decade, stating that 36 per cent of cider drinkers choose to drink cider at least once a week during the autumn and winter months. Brothers is using the autumn launch of the cartons to reach out to these audiences.
Matthew explains: “We’re excited to see our Festival Apple cartons hitting the shelves in a few weeks’ time and targeting those with a passion for cider, whatever the time of year. The cartons also offers an affordable way of buying cider, so we expect them to appeal to students as well as they’ll just be starting or returning to university after the summer break.”