Herrljunga phones home

Swedish cider maker Herrljunga is replacing the

product line-up that carries the company name in the

UK with a new brand

called +46.

The brand takes its name from the international dialling code for Sweden, and UK supplier Halewood International said the change was in part to make life easier for British consumers, who found the Herrljunga name a mouthful.

The new brand will be available in apple and pear variants at 4.5% abv, with a recommended on-trade price of £3.70 for a 50cl bottle.

The new cider is being aimed at 20 to 25-year-old men drinking in upmarket on-trade venues.

Richard Clark, marketing controller at UK distributor Halewood International, said the product's contemporary packaging was designed to "challenge cider category conventions".

He added: "While the cider category is still growing there are a lot of similar brands.

"There is a real danger that consumer interest in the sector will start to wane if producers do not develop and deliver clearly differentiated brands offering real innovation.

"If the category can achieve this goal, it will enjoy sustainable growth for the long term."

The UK launch for the

+46 brand is being supported by a £500,000 package including PoS and sampling activity, with above-the-line activity still to be confirmed.

The new brand is being launched in the UK and Scandinavia before being rolled out globally.