Cider breaks free from summer

Cider brands are launching a big push to boost cider sales year round - not just the summer.

Westons Cider has agreed a three-year deal with Hall & Woodhouse (H&W) to stock its traditional English cider Stowford Press as the sole draught product in its estate. It will also be the preferred brand in H&W's Badger pubs, with 240 sites across Southern England.

Helen McIlveen, brand manager for Westons, said the company was delighted: "As both H&W and Westons Cider are independently run family businesses with reputations for quality products, we feel there is a strong synergy for a successful partnership."

The announcement comes on the back of news that Cornish Rattler from Healey's Cyder has rolled out nationally across all 778 JD Wetherspoon pubs, where Rattler is now being sold as a guest cider in 500ml bottles.

Swedish cider brand Rekorderlig also announced it will be stocked on draught in Pitcher & Piano bars across the UK. Colin Sadler, managing director at Pitcher & Piano, said: "We're delighted to be extending our Rekorderlig range to include draught following the outstanding performance of Strawberry-Lime this summer. The perfect serve always delivers on taste and has offered our consumers a new and exciting premium cider experience."

Elsewhere, cider brands are continuing to capitalise on the festive market.

Aspall has just relaunched its mulled cider. First trialled in 2007 in 30 pubs in and around London, the 4.6 per cent ABV drink is again available on draught from now until the end of January.

And Swedish cider brand Kopparberg has announced an advertising drive to feature ads in key London Underground stations throughout November. This is part of its £3m 'Find Kopparberg' marketing and advertising campaign, aimed at boosting sales in the approach to Christmas.