DESPITE the drop in mercury, retailers should expect to see cider sales increase as Christmas nears.
IRI figures for the week ending 5 January 2019 revealed that the last 12 weeks of the year accounted for 22% of all cider sales.
Chris Milton, off-trade sales director at Thatchers Cider, reckons the strong performance of cider over the festive period is particularly good news for premium brands.
“Christmas and New Year is a real opportunity for cider sales. Shoppers are looking to trade up for taste, heritage and provenance – premiumisation offers retailers a clear opportunity to grow their sales,” he said.
“Cider shoppers love something new, so look for innovation in the category, as your customers will be asking for new and exciting ciders that have been making their mark on the market in 2019.”
Milton suggested Thatchers Rose, a new launch for the brand in 2019, will go well this Christmas, “as customers will be asking for new and exciting ciders.”
